Treatment of non-cognitive symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease
The neuropsychiatric disorders associated with Alzheimer’s disease (EA) may be classified in five major categories: changes in personality, affective disorders, alterations in perception (e.g. delirious ideas and hallucinations), neurovegetative changes and abnormal motor behavior (e.g. psychomotor agitation). These symptoms are often treated with drugs which modulate one or more aminergic neurotransmitters (e.g. antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs and B adrenergic blockers), benzodiazepines and anticonvulsants. Recent studies have shown that cholinesterase-inhibitors (e.g. tacrina, domepecilo, vivastignima, metrifonato) may also improve some psychiatric symptoms. It has been shown too that cholinesterase inhibitors may improve psychotic symptoms, psychomotor agitation, anxiety, disinhibition and apathy. It has also been found that they reduce the emotional stress of carers due to these symptoms. Thus, in treatment with cholinesterase-inhibitors not only the cognizant response should be measured, but also the improvement in psychiatric symptoms
