Use of 4-substituted tetrahydropyridines for the manufacture of medicaments acting upon TGF-β 1

1. A method of inhibiting apoptosis in a patient with prion disease which comprises administering an effective amount of a compound selected from 1-[2-(6,7-methylenedioxynaphth-2-yl)ethyl]-4-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, 1-[2-(4-cyclohexenylphenyl)-ethyl]-4-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and 1-[2-biphenyl-4-yl)ethyl]-4-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.