title: A pilot study of haloperidol treatment of psychosis and behavioral disturbance in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Nine outpatients meeting research criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease who had psychosis or behavioral disturbance participated in a single-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Oral haloperidol in doses of 1 to 5 mg daily improved target symptoms, confirmed by double-blind ratings of videotaped interviews. Patients could not be maintained on more than 4 mg of haloperidol daily due to the severity of extrapyramidal side effects. Modified Mini-Mental State scores worsened while taking haloperidol, with only partial recovery in the final 4-week placebo phase. Severe extrapyramidal side effects and decline in cognitive function may compromise the efficacy of commonly used doses of neuroleptic drugs in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Devanand
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sackeim
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mayeux
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006220:Haloperidol