Posted by Helen Kimbrough on June 27, 2000 at 23:04:00:

My understanding of alzheimers beginning and progress is as follows. Amyloid Beta Peptides appear first, destroying nerves in the brain as they increase. As they increase dementia increases. Another growth appears in the brain (I think as result of clumping of the peptides) which is plaques and tangles. My understanding is Aricept increases the acetylcholine in the brain of Alzheimer patients. My question is where and how in the progress of Amyloid Beta Peptides and plaques and tangles ,does acetylcholine figure in? Does aricept have any effect at all on the Amyloid Beta Peptides and plaques and tangles?