Background Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in older people.
One approach to symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease is to enhance cholinergic
neurotransmission in the brain by blocking the action of the enzyme responsible for the
breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This can be done by a group of drugs
known as cholinesterase inhibitors. Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor.