A DRUG that targets one of the same brain receptors as nicotine boosts memory and attention in the elderly. The boost persists for days, even after the drug has completely left the body.
Geoffrey Dunbar of Targacept, a spin-off of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, recruited 20 volunteers over 50 who had age-associated memory impairment, a mild form of memory loss. They received a 50-milligram dose of the drug, called ispronicline, daily for three weeks. On several standard measures of memory and attention, the people taking the drug improved markedly. For instance, their reaction times were…
