Wednesday, 6 August 2008

For Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1, Statin Does Not Improve Cognitive Function

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For children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder
that much leads to learning disability, cognitive function is not
improved by the lipid-lowering medication simvastatin, according to an article released on
July 15 in JAMA.




NF1 is characterized by the development of tumors in Schwann cells in
the uneasy system. It is genetically transmitted with an autosomal
dominant normal, which means that it is non linked to sex chromosome,
but only one parent needs to contribute the variant cistron for a child to
develop the disorder.




These tumors hind end be harmless but can buoy also compress nerve cells thus
causing damage. Clinically, the disease symptoms include skin
disorders, problems with small and large social movement skills, and cognitive
disabilities. Some examples of this cognitive handicap include personnel casualty
of visual-spatial skills, nonverbal long-term memory and attention
span.




Statins are a class of drugs soon used in adults to lower
cholesterol. Previously, some studies in mice bear indicated that
therapy with statins could improve some cognitive deficits. To
investigate the potential effects of a specific lipid-lowering medicine, simvastatin, on
the cognitive function of children with neurofibromatosis type 1,
Lianne C. Krab, M.Sc., of Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Sophia
Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and colleagues
performed a randomized trial. A total 62 children received simvastatin
or a placebo treatment once daily for 12 weeks.




After the period of treatment, various cognitive tests were performed
to address nonverbal semipermanent memory, attention, and performance on
the prism version task, which measures the adaptation of hand
movements in reply to distortion of a prism glass. No reward was
shown for the test group over the placebo in this obedience. Secondary
outcomes were evaluated as well, including object meeting place scores,
which showed some improvement in the test population. Other measures,
such as attention fluctuation and motor-visual integration showed no
improvement.




The authors conclude that zocor has no effect on the improvement
of cognitive problems developed in victims of von Recklinghausen's disease type 1.
"The negative upshot of this trial suggests that simvastatin should
not
be prescribed to ameliorate the cognitive deficits associated with NF1.
Further studies to evaluate a longer treatment period and whether the
object assembly finding is spurious whitethorn be warranted," they conclude.



Effect of Simvastatin on Cognitive Functioning in Children
With Neurofibromatosis Type 1: A Randomized Controlled Trial


Lianne C. Krab; Arja de Goede-Bolder; Femke K. Aarsen; Saskia M. F.
Pluijm; Marlies J. Bouman; Jos N. van der Geest; Maarten Lequin;
Coriene E. Catsman; Willem Frans M. Arts; Steven A. Kushner; Alcino J.
Silva; Chris I. de Zeeuw; Henri�tte A. Moll; Ype Elgersma

JAMA. 2008;300(3):287-294.


Click Here For Journal





Written by Anna Sophia McKenney



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