Currently, there is no available drug to treat the symptoms of neurodegenerative and vascular
cognitive disorders that affect millions of people worldwide.
Methylphenidate is indicated at high dose (1 mg/kg/day) in children having attention deficit
and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and remains the best cognitive enhancer drug at lower dose.
However, there is no proof of efficacy with chronic administration, outside ADHD, and concern
remains about long-term cardiac and vascular risks in elderly and particularly in population
with vascular risk factors and drug abuse in young people. Moreover, the effect appears to be
very limited at the very advanced stage of dementia, for which the neuronal plasticity is too
reduced to expect a benefit of training.
Taken all together, we sought to develop a new paradigm of association of both
pharmacological and non-pharmacological procedure to enhance the neuronal plasticity in order
to expect a persistent effect on slight to mild cognitive disorders with benefit on
ecological test (i.e. driving). Finally, short-term treatment would reduce the safety
concerns.
The concept will be to prove that low dose of methylphenidate associated with active
cognitive training during 6 weeks can improve the cognitive function in healthy aged
volunteers with a persistent effect at 3 months.