Nicotine patches may help sufferers of MCI

A surprising new study finds that nicotine patches may improve the memory of seniors with mild cognitive impairments. Published in the medical journal Neurology, the study examined if certain components found in smoking patches would work to eliminate memory loss.

Researchers recruited 74 non-smokers with an average age of 76, who suffered from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Half of the people in the study were given a 15 milligram nicotine patches each day for six months, while the other half received a placebo. The results showed that those who wore the patches had improved memory - the group regained 46 percent of long-term memory loss, while those who wore the placebo experienced 26 percent additional long-term memory loss.

Lead researcher Paul Newhouse made it clear that the study was not to promote smoking or the use of nicotine patches for normal functioning individuals, but rather to see if the stimulants in the patches would increase brain activity in people with MCI.

"What we and others have shown is that nicotine doesn't do much for memory and attention in the normal population, but it does do something for those whose cognitive function is already impaired," Newhouse said.

Although this method of repairing memory is controversial, understanding what in the patch helps with memory may make real options of dealing with MCI in the future. Those with caregiving responsibilities will want to look out for signs that a loved one's condition is getting worse, so they appropriate therapies can be introduced down the line.