Frontotemporal dementia: a randomised, controlled trial with trazodone.
Behavioural troubles due to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are difficult to treat. The serotonergic system is associated with frontal lobes, the degeneration of which contributes to FTD. Trazodone increases the extracellular 5-HT levels in the frontal cortex. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study, we investigated the effect of trazodone. There was a significant decrease in the Neuropsychiatry Inventory (NPI) total score with trazodone (p = 0.028) in the 26 evaluable patients. A decrease of more than 50% in the NPI score was observed in 10 patients with trazodone. This improvement was mainly based on the improvement of 4 items of the scale (irritability, agitation, depressive symptoms and eating disorders). The Mini-Mental State Examination was not modified and trazodone was well tolerated. Results of this first placebo-controlled trial suggest that trazodone is an effective treatment for the behavioural symptoms of FTD.
Lebert
Florence
F
Memory Clinic, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France. flebert@nordnet.fr
Stekke
Willy
W
Hasenbroekx
Christine
C
Pasquier
Florence
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010555:Personality Inventory; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014196:Trazodone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D014196:Trazodone