AJGP
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ALL ISSUES SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a Colleague
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Cummings, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Brooks, R. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Cummings, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Brooks, R. L.
Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 8:134-140, May 2000
© 2000 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Regular Article

The Relationship Between Donepezil and Behavioral Disturbances in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

Jeffrey L. Cummings, M.D., Jane A. Donohue, Ph.D., and Rachelle L. Brooks, M.A.

Received January 22, 1999; revised April 6, 1999; accepted July 22, 1999. From the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California. Address correspondence to Dr. Donohue, Consumer Health Sciences, 346 Wall Street, Princeton, NJ 08540. e-mail: JADonohue{at}aol.com

The authors tested the hypothesis that behavioral disturbances are reported at significantly lower rates by caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients receiving the antidementia drug donepezil, compared with a group of patients receiving no antidementia drug treatment. Patients administered donepezil for 6 months (n=84) were compared with patients not on donepezil (n=248). Patients taking donepezil had significantly lower levels of behavioral disturbances than patients not receiving this agent (P<=0.01). Specifically, donepezil patients were described as significantly (P<=0.05) less likely to be threatening, destroy property, and talk loudly. Also, significantly fewer patients receiving donepezil were treated with sedatives (P<=0.05). These findings support the growing body of evidence that cholinesterase inhibitors have psychotropic properties and reduce behavioral disturbances in patients with AD.

Key Words: l • Dementia Treatment • Side Effects






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ALL ISSUES SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2000 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry