Lysine vasopressin in Alzheimer disease.

The effects of lysine vasopressin on memory and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer disease was investigated. In a double-blind study, seven patients were given 16 units of lysine vasopressin per day for 10 days and were compared with seven different patients receiving placebo. No significant difference in performance between the vasopressin and placebo-treated groups was found in tests designed to evaluate learning, memory, and perception. However, significantly greater improvement in reaction time was seen in the vasopressin-treated group, although this effect was delayed and may have been contributed to by factors other than drug activity.