Zheng, Ling, Mack, Wendy J., Dagerman, Karen S., Hsiao, John K., Lebowitz, Barry D., Lyketsos, Constantine G., Stroup, T. Scott, Sultzer, David L., Tariot, Pierre N., Vigen, Cheryl, Schneider, Lon S.

Objective: The second-generation antipsychotics are associated with metabolic abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia. Elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease are frequently treated with these antipsychotics, but limited data are available on their metabolic effects.; Method: The authors assessed 186 male and 235 female Alzheimer’s disease outpatients from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness-Alzheimer’s Disease (CATIE-AD) […]

Wolfs, Claire A.G., Dirksen, Carmen D., Kessels, Alfons, Severens, Johan L., Verhey, Frans R.J.

Context: Because of the increasing number of elderly people with dementia, the costs of dementia and dementia care are expected to grow rapidly in the coming decades. Cost-effectiveness results are relevant for decision making about new strategies in dementia care.; Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an integrated multidisciplinary diagnostic facility for diagnosing dementia in […]

Wilkinson, David, Schindler, Rachel, Schwam, Elias, Waldemar, Gunhild, Jones, Roy W., Gauthier, Serge, Lopez, Oscar L., Cummings, Jeffrey, Xu, Yikang, Feldman, Howard H.

Background: Therapeutic endpoints based on reduced clinical worsening represent clinically relevant and realistic goals for patients suffering from progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD).; Methods: Data from 906 patients (388 receiving placebo; 518 receiving donepezil) with mild-to-moderate AD [Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 10-27] were pooled from 3 randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled studies. Clinical […]

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 […]

Volandes, Angelo E., Paasche-Orlow, Michael K., Barry, Michael J., Gillick, Muriel R., Minaker, Kenneth L., Chang, Yuchiao, Cook, E. Francis, Abbo, Elmer D., El-Jawahri, Areej, Mitchell, Susan L.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a video decision support tool on the preferences for future medical care in older people if they develop advanced dementia, and the stability of those preferences after six weeks.; Design: Randomised controlled trial conducted between 1 September 2007 and 30 May 2008. Setting Four primary care clinics (two geriatric […]

Volandes, Angelo E., Mitchell, Susan L., Gillick, Muriel R., Chang, Yuchiao, Paasche-Orlow, Michael K.

Introduction: When patients are unable to make important end-of-life decisions, doctors ask surrogate decision makers to provide insight into patients’ preferences. Unfortunately, multiple studies have shown that surrogates’ knowledge of patient preferences is poor. We hypothesized that a video decision tool would improve concordance between patients and their surrogates for end-of-life preferences.; Objective: To compare […]

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 […]

Tappen, Ruth M., Williams, Christine L.

Few studies have tested strategies to address the mental health needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To test a newly developed, empirically based modified counseling approach, 30 nursing home residents with AD were randomly assigned to a modified counseling (Therapeutic Conversation) treatment group or usual care control group. Mini-Mental State Examination mean scores were […]

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 […]