Behavioral and psychological symptoms in patients with dementia as a target for pharmacotherapy with risperidone.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To examine the effect of risperidone on specific behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

METHOD:

We conducted a post hoc exploratory analysis of an integrated database from 3 randomized, controlled trials of risperidone versus placebo in treating 1150 nursing home residents with BPSD. Changes in scores were measured for items on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) and Behavioral Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (BEHAVE-AD).

RESULTS:

On the CMAI, risperidone was significantly more effective in treating hitting (p = .000), hurt self or other (p = .005), cursing or verbal aggression (p = .000), repetitive sentences or questions (p = .001), scratching (p = .041), general restlessness (p = .001), grabbing onto people (p = .028), constant request for attention (p = .041), pacing and aimless wandering (p = .013), and performing repetitious mannerisms (p = .045). On the BEHAVE-AD, risperidone was significantly more effective in treating physical threats and/or violence (p = .000), verbal outbursts (p = .000), other anxieties (p = .01), agitation (p = .000), tearfulness (p = .03), and nonparanoid delusions (p = .02).

CONCLUSIONS:

The items from the BEHAVE-AD and CMAI that were improved with risperidone included psychotic, agitated, and aggressive symptoms. These data suggest that risperidone is more effective than placebo in treating a variety of symptoms associated with dementia.

• Authors: Jonathan Rabinowitz, Ira R Katz, Peter Paul De Deyn, Henry Brodaty, Andrew Greenspan, Michael Davidson
• Journal: The Journal of clinical psychiatry (J Clin Psychiatry) Vol. 65 Issue 10 Pg. 1329-34 (Oct 2004) ISSN: 0160-6689 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15491235 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antipsychotic Agents
• Placebos
• Risperidone

Topics

• Aged
• Aggression (drug effects, psychology)
• Alzheimer Disease (diagnosis, drug therapy, psychology)
• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Dementia (drug therapy, psychology)
• Dementia, Vascular (diagnosis, drug therapy, psychology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Mental Disorders (diagnosis, drug therapy, psychology)
• Nursing Homes (statistics & numerical data)
• Personality Inventory
• Placebos
• Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
• Psychomotor Agitation (drug therapy, psychology)
• Risperidone (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome