descriptionsDonepezil is an oral medication used to treat Alzheimers disease. It belongs to a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors that also includes tacrine Cognex. Scientists believe that Alzheimers disease may result from a deficiency in chemicals neurotransmitters used by nerves in the brain to communicate with one another. Donepezil inhibits acetylcholinesterase an enzyme responsible for the destruction of one neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This leads to increased concentrations of acetylcholine in the brain and the increased concentrations are believed to be responsible for the improvement seen during treatment with donepezil. Donepezil improves the symptoms but does not slow down the progression of Alzheimers disease. Donepezil was approved by the FDA in 1996.
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