ACHE and Apathy: Given that increased age is associated with a low level of chronic inflammation [67], proinflammatory cytokines are associated with lower MMSE in PD [92] and that the success in treating PD apathy with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine [20] may have had an anti-inflammatory basis [84], it is possible that there might be an inflammatory mechanism behind the age-associated increase in apathy.