I am convinced that spatial-memory paradigms have a good deal to offer in translating cognitive effects between preclinical and clinical studies. I think the sensitivity of this paradigm in patients with early stage Alzheimer's disease, as well as its responsiveness to anticholinesterase treatment, support its use in patient studies.
Part of the intuitive appeal of this paradigm is that it better matches commonly employed preclinical paradigms, such as the Morris water maze. Our tests of episodic memory in patients are usually word-list or picture-learning tests; word-list learning tests are by definition language-mediated, and often visual stimuli are verbally labelled. Spatial-memory paradigms are perhaps less reliant on linguistic mediation, so the cross-species mechanisms of spatial memory tasks may be a better match. This might in turn better predict efficacy in humans of new drug entities.
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Metis Cognition Ltd.
I am convinced that spatial-memory paradigms have a good deal to offer in translating cognitive effects between preclinical and clinical studies. I think the sensitivity of this paradigm in patients with early stage Alzheimer's disease, as well as its responsiveness to anticholinesterase treatment, support its use in patient studies.
Part of the intuitive appeal of this paradigm is that it better matches commonly employed preclinical paradigms, such as the Morris water maze. Our tests of episodic memory in patients are usually word-list or picture-learning tests; word-list learning tests are by definition language-mediated, and often visual stimuli are verbally labelled. Spatial-memory paradigms are perhaps less reliant on linguistic mediation, so the cross-species mechanisms of spatial memory tasks may be a better match. This might in turn better predict efficacy in humans of new drug entities.
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