Galantamine

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive, irreversible degeneration of acetylcholine-producing neurons, cognitive impairment, and the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques. The cholinergic system plays a critical role in memory, alongside other important neural functions such as attention, learning, stress response, wakefulness and sleep, and sensory information. Studies show that acetylcholine (ACh) is involved in the modulation of acquisition, encoding, consolidation, reconsolidation, extinction, and retrieval of memory. The gradual loss of cholinergic neurons in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may, therefore, contribute to the memory loss exhibited by AD patients.

Acetylcholinesterase is secreted by cholinergic neurons to rapidly hydrolyze ACh at the synaptic cleft to release acetate and choline. Choline is later recycled back into the presynaptic cholinergic neuron via reuptake by the high-affinity choline transporter. There is some evidence demonstrating the potential involvement of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the formation of amyloid fibrils. Galantamine competitively and reversibly inhibits the anticholinesterase enzyme in the CNS (namely in the frontal cortex and hippocampal regions) by binding to the choline-binding site and acyl-binding pocket of the enzyme active site. By blocking the breakdown of ACh, galantamine enhances ACh levels in the synaptic cleft.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in the CNS are mostly expressed at the presynaptic neuronal membrane to control the release of multiple neurotransmitters, such as ACh, glutamate, GABA, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine. Agonists of nAChRs improve performance in cognitive tasks, while antagonists of nAChR impair cognitive processes. Some studies show a decrease in the expression and activity of nAChRs in patients with AD, which may explain the reduction in central cholinergic neurotransmission in these patients. Galantamine binds to nAChRs at the allosteric site, leading to a conformational change of the receptor, increased ACh release, and increased activity of neighbouring glutaminergic and serotoninergic neurons. The modulation of nAChRs facilitates both excitatory and inhibitory cholinergic transmissions in brain tissues and increases receptor sensitivity. The modulated release of other neurotransmitters by galantamine may also contribute to the upregulation of nAChRs and amelioration of behavioural symptoms in AD.