Effects of transdermal nicotine on cognitive performance in Downʹs syndrome

Downʹs syndrome involves age-dependent neuropathological and neurochemical changes similar to Alzheimerʹs disease, with cholinergic deficits being the most consistent. There is currently no proven treatment for Downʹs syndrome. We investigated the effect of nicotine-agonistic stimulation with 5 mg transdermal patches, compared with placebo, on cognitive performance in five adults with the disorder. Improvements possibly related to attention and information processing were seen for Downʹs syndrome patients compared with healthy controls. Our preliminary findings are encouraging, although not generalisable because of small numbers.