Ward-Smith, Peggy, Llanque, Sarah M., Curran, Denise

Background: Non-pharmacological interventions, such as multisensory stimulation environments (MSSE), have demonstrated the ability to reduce inappropriate behavior among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.; Methods: In this study, we compared the incidences of problematic behavior among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease residing in a long-term care facility who were and were not exposed to an MSSE. Retrospective data […]

Wang, Lucy Y., Shofer, Jane B., Rohde, Kirsten, Hart, Kim L., Hoff, David J., McFall, Yun H., Raskind, Murray A., Peskind, Elaine R.

Objectives: Agitation/aggression in Alzheimer disease (AD) is a major cause of patient distress, caregiver burden, and institutionalization. Enhanced behavioral responsiveness to central nervous system norepinephrine (NE) release may contribute to the pathophysiology of agitation/aggression in AD. Prazosin, a nonsedating generic medication used for hypertension and benign prostatic hypertrophy, antagonizes NE effects at brain postsynaptic alpha-1 […]

Visch Brink, E. G., Van Rhee Temme, W., Rietveld, T., Krulder, J. W. M., Van Harskamp, F., Van der Cammen, T. J. M.

Objectives: Placebo-controlled trials have shown that rivastigmine can delay cognitive deterioration in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Benefits on cognitive functioning, as measured with the ADAS-Cog, occur on a daily dose of 6-12 mg when used for at least 6 months. The effect of rivastigmine on the adequacy of spontaneous speech is […]

Venneri, Annalena, McGeown, William J., Shanks, Michael F.

Clinical trials of cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) drugs, although generally reporting only minimal improvements in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), indicate that a subgroup of patients may respond substantially to treatment. This study aimed to assess the clinically variable ChEI treatment effects in a group of patients with mild AD using a semantic association and an […]

Velayudhan, Latha, Lovestone, Simon

Background: Olfactory dysfunction, impaired odor identification in particular, is known to occur in Alzheimer disease (AD). The entorhinal cortex and the olfactory bulb, critical areas for olfactory function, are rich in acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter implicated in AD pathology and treatment. In view of the common anatomical substrate, we aimed to determine whether performance on an […]

van Dyck, Christopher H., Lyness, Jeffrey M., Rohrbaugh, Robert M., Siegal, Alan P.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine whether B12 replacement would ameliorate cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in elderly subjects with dementia and low serum B12 levels.; Methods: A test group (n = 28) of nursing home residents with low serum B12 levels (300 pg/mL) were evaluated by blinded raters while the test group […]

Szaniszlo, P., German, P., Hajas, G., Saenz, D. N., Kruzel, M., Boldogh, I.

Background: The pathomechanism of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is multifactorial although the most popular hypotheses are centered on the effects of the misfolded, aggregated protein, amyloid beta (Abeta) and on Tau hyperphosphorylation.; Objectives: Double blinded clinical trials were planned to demonstrate the effect of Colostrinin (CLN) on instrumental daily activities of AD patients. The potential molecular […]

Squitieri, Ferdinando, Orobello, Sara, Cannella, Milena, Martino, Tiziana, Romanelli, Pantaleo, Giovacchini, Giampiero, Frati, Luigi, Mansi, Luigi, Ciarmiello, Andrea

Purpose: Huntington disease (HD) mutation increases gain-of-toxic functions contributing to glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. Riluzole interferes with glutamatergic neurotransmission, thereby reducing excitotoxicity, enhancing neurite formation in damaged motoneurons and increasing serum concentrations of BDNF, a brain cortex neurotrophin protecting striatal neurons from degeneration.; Methods: We investigated metabolic and volumetric differences in distinct brain areas between 11 riluzole-treated […]

Sommer, Oskar H., Aga, Olav, Cvancarova, Milada, Olsen, Inge C., Selbaek, Geir, Engedal, Knut

Background/aims: To evaluate the efficacy of oxcarbazepine (OXC) in the treatment of agitation and aggression in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia or both.; Methods: This is an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial carried out independently of the pharmaceutical industry. Changes in the agitation and aggression subscore of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were the […]

Sobów, Tomasz, Kłoszewska, Iwona, Flirski, Marcin, Liberski, Paweł

Background and Purpose: Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI) are currently the mainstream symptomatic treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To this end, the response to the treatment with ChEI is clinically difficult to predict. Several demographic, clinical and biological variables have been proposed as pre-treatment predictors of long-term therapy efficacy. The aim of the study was […]