Herrmann, Nathan, Black, Sandra E., Chow, Tiffany, Cappell, Jaclyn, Tang-Wai, David F., Lanctôt, Krista L.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were first, to evaluate the effectiveness of citalopram in treating behavioral disturbances in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) subjects and second, to determine whether an association exists between serotonergic function, as determined by a neuroendocrine challenge, and treatment response.; Design: Single-dose citalopram (30 mg per os) challenge followed by a 6-week […]

Bergh, Sverre, Selbaek, Geir, Engedal, Knut

Objective: To determine the effect of discontinuing antidepressant treatment in people with dementia and neuropsychiatric symptoms.; Design: Double blind, randomised, parallel group, placebo controlled trial.; Setting: Norwegian nursing homes; residents recruited by 16 study centres in Norway from August 2008 to June 2010.; Participants: 128 patients with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or vascular dementia, and neuropsychiatric […]

Culo, Sandi, Mulsant, Benoit H., Rosen, Jules, Mazumdar, Sati, Blakesley, Richard E., Houck, Patricia R., Pollock, Bruce G.

Sensitivity to psychotropic medications presents a therapeutic challenge when treating neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We compared under randomized, double-blinded conditions the tolerability and efficacy of citalopram and risperidone in the treatment of behavioral and psychotic symptoms in patients with DLB and Alzheimer disease (AD). Thirty-one participants with DLB and […]

Lavretsky, Helen, Siddarth, Prabha, Irwin, Michael R.

Background: This study examined the potential of an antidepressant drug, escitalopram, to improve depression, resilience to stress, and quality of life in family dementia caregivers in a randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded trial.; Methods: Forty family caregivers (43-91 years of age, 25 children and 15 spouses; 26 women) who were taking care of their relatives with Alzheimer […]

Dombrovski, Alexandre Y., Mulsant, Benoit H., Ferrell, Robert E., Lotrich, Francis E., Rosen, Jules I., Wallace, Meredith, Houck, Patricia R., Mazumdar, Sati, Pollock, Bruce G.

The risk/benefit ratio of pharmacotherapy for behavioral symptoms of dementia is questionable: second-generation antipsychotics are poorly tolerated, and the efficacy of alternative treatments, for example, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is uncertain. Biomarkers of treatment response may improve this risk/benefit ratio. The length polymorphism of the serotonin transporter promoter gene (5-HTTLPR/SLC6A4) may moderate tolerability of SSRIs […]

Porsteinsson, Anton P., Drye, Lea T., Pollock, Bruce G., Devanand, D. P., Frangakis, Constantine, Ismail, Zahinoor, Marano, Christopher, Meinert, Curtis L., Mintzer, Jacobo E., Munro, Cynthia A., Pelton, Gregory, Rabins, Peter V., Rosenberg, Paul B., Schneider, Lon S., Shade, David M., Weintraub, Daniel, Yesavage, Jerome, Lyketsos, Constantine G.

Importance: Agitation is common, persistent, and associated with adverse consequences for patients with Alzheimer disease. Pharmacological treatment options, including antipsychotics are not satisfactory.; Objective: The primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of citalopram for agitation in patients with Alzheimer disease. Key secondary objectives examined effects of citalopram on function, caregiver distress, safety, cognitive safety, […]

Beglinger, Leigh J., Adams, William H., Langbehn, Douglas, Fiedorowicz, Jess G., Jorge, Ricardo, Biglan, Kevin, Caviness, John, Olson, Blair, Robinson, Robert G., Kieburtz, Karl, Paulsen, Jane S.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate citalopram for executive functioning in Huntington’s disease (HD).; Methods: The study was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled. Thirty-three adults with HD, cognitive complaints, and no depression (Hamilton Depression [HAM-D] rating scale ≤ 12) were administered citalopram 20 mg or placebo (7 visits, 20 weeks), with practice and […]

Barak, Yoram, Plopski, Igor, Tadger, Shelly, Paleacu, Diana

Background: Antipsychotics are frequently used to treat psychosis, aggression and agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but safety warnings abound. Escitalopram was investigated since citalopram has demonstrated some effectiveness in AD. We compared escitalopram and risperidone for psychotic symptoms and agitation associated with AD.; Methods: Inpatients with AD, who had been hospitalized because of […]