Efficacy of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors in the Logopenic Variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia.

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

A 2025 update on treatment strategies for the Alzheimer's disease spectrum.Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA · 2025
Review
Primary Progressive Aphasia Treatment: Current Treatment Options in Neurology Article Topic: Management of Primary Progressive Aphasia.Current treatment options in neurology · 2025
Review

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Julie Carrier-AuclairClinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, Département des Sciences Neurologiques du CHU de Québec, Quebec City, Québec, Canada, julie.carrier-auclair.1@ulaval.ca.

Monica LavoieClinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, Département des Sciences Neurologiques du CHU de Québec, Quebec City, Québec, Canada.

Maud TastevinChaire de Recherche sur les Aphasies Primaires Progressives, Fondation de la Famille Lemaire, Quebec City, Québec, Canada.

Robert LaforceClinique Interdisciplinaire de Mémoire, Département des Sciences Neurologiques du CHU de Québec, Quebec City, Québec, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFor over 25 years, cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) have been the main symptomatic treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several meta-analyses have supported their effectiveness in various neurocognitive, functional, and behavioral aspects of amnestic AD. Over 86% of cases of the logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA), also named language variant AD, are caused by a similar pathologic process than AD, yet no study has examined the efficacy of ChEIs in this AD variant. We aimed to explore the efficacy of ChEIs in the treatment of lvPPA by comparing their evolution on the MMSE, and other functional and behavioral parameters, to that of treated amnestic AD patients.

methodsA retrospective chart review was performed in 45 patients with lvPPA and 52 patients with amnestic AD. Both groups were similar in terms of age, level of education, and onset of symptoms. Drug history and MMSE scores, as well as functional (activities of daily living [ADLs] and instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs]), neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms were collected on several time points before and after the introduction of ChEIs. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and a generalized linear mixed model.

resultsPatients with lvPPA showed a similar trajectory of decline than amnestic AD patients on serial MMSEs up to 12-24 months after the introduction of ChEIs. There was a significant impact on ADLs but not IADLs and neuropsychiatric symptoms remained stable over time.

conclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence for efficacy of ChEIs in patients with lvPPA and suggests similar benefits to those seen in amnestic AD patients, hence reassuring patients and their physicians.

introductionFor over 25 years, cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) have been the main symptomatic treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several meta-analyses have supported their effectiveness in various neurocognitive, functional, and behavioral aspects of amnestic AD. Over 86% of cases of the logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA), also named language variant AD, are caused by a similar pathologic process than AD, yet no study has examined the efficacy of ChEIs in this AD variant. We aimed to explore the efficacy of ChEIs in the treatment of lvPPA by comparing their evolution on the MMSE, and other functional and behavioral parameters, to that of treated amnestic AD patients.

methodsA retrospective chart review was performed in 45 patients with lvPPA and 52 patients with amnestic AD. Both groups were similar in terms of age, level of education, and onset of symptoms. Drug history and MMSE scores, as well as functional (activities of daily living [ADLs] and instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs]), neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms were collected on several time points before and after the introduction of ChEIs. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and a generalized linear mixed model.

resultsPatients with lvPPA showed a similar trajectory of decline than amnestic AD patients on serial MMSEs up to 12-24 months after the introduction of ChEIs. There was a significant impact on ADLs but not IADLs and neuropsychiatric symptoms remained stable over time.

conclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence for efficacy of ChEIs in patients with lvPPA and suggests similar benefits to those seen in amnestic AD patients, hence reassuring patients and their physicians.

Indexed as

Aphasia, Primary ProgressiveCholinesterase InhibitorsActivities of Daily LivingAgedAged, 80 and overAlzheimer DiseaseFemaleHumansMaleMental Status and Dementia TestsMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeCholinesterase InhibitorsAcetylcholinesterase inhibitorsAlzheimer’s diseaseAlzheimer therapyLogopenic variant of primary progressive aphasiaPrimary progressive aphasia