SUNY Upstate to Research if Nicotine Patches Help Memory in Older Adults

Researchers at State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University are conducting a study to determine whether nicotine patches can improve memory for older adults at risk of dementia, reports WAER . The Memory Improvement Through Nicotine Dosing (MIND) study targets persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can progress to Alzheimer's disease. MIND study director Sharon Brangman says the brain has receptors which respond to stimulation by nicotine, and a previous study showed that adults with MCI who were prescribed the nicotine patch for six months exhibited improved attention and memory, with no major side effects or withdrawal symptoms. "This is a medicinal dose of nicotine," Brangman notes. "We will be watching people very closely, should they have any side effects or any concerns." The MIND study hopes to recruit 300 healthy, non-smoking adults 55 and older who have noticed changes in memory. Brangman says qualifying participants will receive a nicotine patch, while others will be given a placebo. Doses will increase over the two-year study, and volunteers will undergo memory tests.