Premium
A pilot placebo‐controlled study of trazodone and buspirone in alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Lawlor Brian A.,
Radcliffe Jeanne,
Molchan Susan E.,
Martinez Rick A.,
Hill James L.,
Sunderland Trey
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.930090112
Subject(s) - trazodone , buspirone , placebo , psychology , mood , brief psychiatric rating scale , dementia , rating scale , psychiatry , medicine , anxiety , psychosis , disease , antidepressant , developmental psychology , agonist , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology
Abstract The pharmacological management of behavioural symptoms in Alzheimer's disease is limited by the dearth of effective agents in this area. The purpose of this study was to determine whether trazodone or buspirone are helpful in the treatment of behavioural disturbance in AD. Ten patients meeting NINCDS criteria for AD with behavioural complications were administered trazodone (up to 50 mg tid), buspirone (10 mg tid), and placeboin a 12‐week double‐blind, crossover design. Outcome measures were the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Dementia Mood Assessment Scale (DMAS), and the Buschke Selective Reminding Task. The data were analysed by ANOVA. Compared to placebo, trazodone produced a small but significant reduction in BPRS and DMAS scores (p<0.05), indicating improvement in behaviour but no change in cognitive measures. In contrast, buspirone has no significant effect on either behavioural or cognitive measures compared to placebo. The results of this pilot study suggest a beneficial role for trazodone, but not buspirone, in the treatment of behavioural disturbance in AD. Further studies using a wider range of doses of trazodone in more behaviourally disturbed AD patients should now be initiated in an attempt to replicate and expand on this preliminary finding.