title: Behavioral disturbances of dementia.
abstract: Behavioral disturbances are common in patients with dementia. Medical intervention is needed if, for example, these behaviors threaten a patient's safety or jeopardize his or her ability to perform activities of daily living. Typical antipsychotic agents are associated with troublesome adverse effects in the elderly (e.g., anticholinergic effects, extrapyramidal symptoms). Atypical antipsychotics have reduced potential to cause these types of side effects but are not free from side effects. Recently, there has been a greater focus on the use of antidepressants to treat behavioral disturbances in dementia. Among these, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been studied more commonly due to their safety profile in the elderly. Citalopram, in particular, has demonstrated efficacy in improving dementia-related behavioral symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Mulsant
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology; D019389:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D015283:Citalopram; D019389:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors