Selegiline in the treatment of behavioural disturbance in Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the behavioural and cognitive effects of selegiline in a group of moderately behaviourally disturbed AD patients.


METHODS
This was a 14-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of selegiline (10 mg) and placebo.


METHODS
An outpatient clinic in an urban-based tertiary referral centre in the USA.


METHODS
Twenty-five outpatients meeting NINCDS criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease with associated behavioural disturbance.


METHODS
The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Dementia Mood Assessment Scale (DMAS) and the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale (Cognitive) (ADAS-COG).


RESULTS
In the primary analysis, improvement on the BPRS and DMAS scores with selegeline treatment did not. reach statistical significance. A secondary analysis using a parallel design showed a significant benefit of drug treatment on BPRS scores with a trend towards improvement on the DMAS. Among the 10 subjects who could be tested, there was a significant improvement in cognitive function on the ADAS-COG with selegiline compared to placebo.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term selegiline treatment produced an improvement in behaviour and had a significant effect on cognition in a subset of testable patients.
Lawlor
B A
BA
Department of Psychiatry, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Aisen
P S
PS
Green
C
C
Fine
E
E
Schmeïdler
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012642:Selegiline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D012642:Selegiline