Can antidepressant medication relieve agitation in Alzheimer's disease?

Effect of memantine combined with citalopram on cognition of BPSD and moderate Alzheimer's disease: A clinical trial

Among Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, it is very common to develop behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), which has a close relation to the excess morbidity and mortality, greater healthcare use, earlier institutionalization, and caregiver burden. With evaluation of AD patients, the present study mainly aims to investigate whether citalopram would be efficient for BPSD, and examines citalopram's effects on cognitive function, caregiver distress, safety and tolerability. Eighty patients diagnosed with moderate AD and clinically significant BPSD from April 2015 to January 2016 were enrolled in this study. Patients randomly received memantine plus either citalopram (n=40, study group) or placebo (n=40, control group) in a 12-week period. The target dose of memantine was 20 mg/day. The dose of citalopram was 10 mg/day in the beginning with planned titration to 30 mg/day over 2 weeks on the basis of response and tolerability. Blood routine, urine routine, biochemical tests, electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram were carried out for each patient every month routinely to check the change induced by using medication. Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) was used to measure untoward effects every 2 weeks. All of the agitation/aggression, irritability/lability, night-time behavioral disturbances, caregiver distress and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) total scores after treatment were found to be dramatically lower than those before treatment in both groups. Apathy, dysphoria and anxiety received lower scores in participants who received memantine combined with citalopram, compared to those before treatment. QTc interval prolongation was observed in 2 patients who were treated with 30 mg/day citalopramin. In conclusion, memantine combined with citalopram can more effectively improve the cognitive function, and reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms in patients with moderate AD. Cardiac adverse effects of citalopram are not common when the dose is <30 mg/day, which does not limit its practical application. Thus, citalopram has shown potential efficacy in adjunctive therapy of AD patients with BPSD.

Investigational drugs for treating agitation in persons with dementia

INTRODUCTION

Agitation is common and distressing in persons with dementia, but safe, effective treatments remain elusive. In this review, the authors describe investigational compounds in ongoing or recently completed clinical trials for this indication and provide an opinion on how they may meet current therapeutic needs.

AREAS COVERED

Phase II and phase III clinical trials for agitation in persons with dementia were searched in US and EU clinical trial registries and in the medical literature for the period January 2013-February 2016 EXPERT OPINION: The authors searches identified 24 recent clinical trials investigating new treatments for agitation in persons with dementia. Candidate drugs in phase III development included the antipsychotic brexpiprazole, the antidepressant citalopram, the novel compound AVP-786 (deuterated-dextromethorphan/quinidine combination) and the cannabinoid nabilone. Of the compounds in phase II clinical trials, ELND005 (scyllo-inositol) is intended to progress into phase III development, based on evidence from a subgroup analysis and biomarker data. After many years without an FDA/EMA (Food and Drug Administration/European Medicines Agency) approved medication to treat agitation in persons with dementia, we may see the arrival of the first approved drug in the near future.

Update on SSRI Treatment for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of dementia including agitation, depression, and psychosis are common and debilitating facets of the disease process. Despite the significant impact of these symptoms on both individuals with dementia and their caregivers, safe and effective treatment options are lacking. From a pharmacological approach, antipsychotics have historically been the treatment of choice, but these medications are only modestly effective with significant adverse effects. Behavioral and psychosocial interventions have been shown to be effective but are difficult to implement in routine clinical practice. SSRI medications have been investigated as an alternative psychopharmacological approach based on evidence that the serotoninergic system is involved in the etiology of NPS in dementia. The evidence base for using SSRI medications in the treatment of NPS is growing, but the applicability of research findings to the utility of SSRIs in general in routine clinical practice is not entirely clear at this point. Further studies of a variety of SSRI medications in targeting NPS are needed to make a more definitive assessment of the efficacy of these medications in the relief of NPS.

Agitation and Irritability in Alzheimer's Disease: Evidenced-Based Treatments and the Black-Box Warning

More than five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD), and this number is expected to triple by 2050. While impairments in cognition, particularly memory, are typically the defining features of the clinical syndrome, behavioral symptoms are extremely common, affecting up to 90% of patients. Behavioral symptoms in AD can be difficult to manage and may require a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches. The latter is complicated by FDA "black-box warnings" for the medication classes most often used to target these symptoms, and currently there are initiatives in place to limit their use. In this review, we describe common behavioral symptoms of AD-with a particular focus on the challenging symptoms of "agitation" and "irritability"-and discuss evidence-based approaches to their management. Ultimately, multidimensional approaches must be tailored to the patient and their environment, though evidence-based practices should define the treatment of agitation and irritability in AD.