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Memory Improvement in Korsakoff's Disease With Fluvoxamine

William J. McEntee, MD; Robert G. Mair, PhD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1990;47(10):978-978. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1990.01810220094015
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To the Editor.—  In the July 1989 issue of the Archives, Martin et al1 reported improvement of memory in patients with Korsakoff's psychosis (KP) by treatment with fluvoxamine maleate, a specific serotonin (5-HT) uptake inhibitor. This observation by itself is of interest, but the authors' interpretation of the data deserves comment.Are data available showing the effects of fluvoxamine treatment on memory test performance and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in normal persons?The statistical analyses supporting the conclusions made for subjects with KP should be viewed with considerable caution. Three variables were analyzed: plasma levels of fluvoxamine, degree of improvement on tests of memory, and amount of reduction of CSF 5-HIAA. A total of 15 data points (5 for each variable) were reported; too few to provide a reliable multivariate analysis. Ideally, 20 data points per variable are needed for a sound multivariate analysis, and

REFERENCES

Martin PR, Adinoff B, Eckardt MJ, Stapleton JM, Bone GAH, Rubinow DR, Lane EA, Linnoila M.  Effective pharmacotherapy of alcoholic amnestic disorder with fluvoxamine . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 1989;;46:617-621.
Altman HJ, Normile HJ.  Serotonin, learning and memory: implications for the treatment of dementia . In: Crook T, Bartus R, Ferris S, Gershon S, eds. Treatment Development Strategies for Alzheimer's Disease . Madison, Conn: Mark Powley Associates; 1986;:361-383.
Altman HJ, Stone WS, Ogren SO.  Evidence for a possible functional interaction between serotonergic and cholinergic mechanisms in memory retrieval . Behav Neural Biol . 1987;;48:49-62.
McEntee WJ, Mair RG, Langlais PJ.  Neurochemical pathology in Korsakoff's psychosis: implications for other cognitive disorders . Neurology . 1984;;34:648-652.
Martin PR, Weingartner H, Gordon EK, Burns RS, Linnoila M, Kopin IJ, Ebert MH.  Central nervous system catecholamine metabolism in Korsakoff's psychosis . Ann Neurol . 1984;; 15:184-187.
Mair RG, McEntee WJ, Zattore RJ.  Monoamine activity correlates with psychometric deficits in Korsakoff's disease . Behav Brain Res . 1985;;15:247-254.

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Martin PR, Adinoff B, Eckardt MJ, Stapleton JM, Bone GAH, Rubinow DR, Lane EA, Linnoila M.  Effective pharmacotherapy of alcoholic amnestic disorder with fluvoxamine . Arch Gen Psychiatry . 1989;;46:617-621.
Altman HJ, Normile HJ.  Serotonin, learning and memory: implications for the treatment of dementia . In: Crook T, Bartus R, Ferris S, Gershon S, eds. Treatment Development Strategies for Alzheimer's Disease . Madison, Conn: Mark Powley Associates; 1986;:361-383.
Altman HJ, Stone WS, Ogren SO.  Evidence for a possible functional interaction between serotonergic and cholinergic mechanisms in memory retrieval . Behav Neural Biol . 1987;;48:49-62.
McEntee WJ, Mair RG, Langlais PJ.  Neurochemical pathology in Korsakoff's psychosis: implications for other cognitive disorders . Neurology . 1984;;34:648-652.
Martin PR, Weingartner H, Gordon EK, Burns RS, Linnoila M, Kopin IJ, Ebert MH.  Central nervous system catecholamine metabolism in Korsakoff's psychosis . Ann Neurol . 1984;; 15:184-187.
Mair RG, McEntee WJ, Zattore RJ.  Monoamine activity correlates with psychometric deficits in Korsakoff's disease . Behav Brain Res . 1985;;15:247-254.

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