Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Psychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer Disease and Parkinson Disease

A meta-analysis showed improvement of neuropsychiatric symptoms with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in both diseases, although effect sizes were small.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms are challenging to treat in patients with neurodegenerative conditions. In this meta-analysis, researchers investigated the effect of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI) on neuropsychiatric symptoms in those with Alzheimer disease (AD) or Parkinson disease (PD). Studies in the analysis included placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials that included at least one ChEI — i.e., donepezil, rivastigmine, or galantamine — and applied at least one validated neuropsychiatric measure, with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) being the most used measure studied. The primary outcomes were hallucinations and delusions. Secondary outcomes included all other neuropsychiatric outcomes.

Original participant data for 6649 individ…

Reviewing Author

Jennifer Rose V. Molano, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Center for Advancing Translational Science – Cincinnati Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training

Editorial BoardsBrain & Life

Jennifer Rose V. Molano, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Center for Advancing Translational Science – Cincinnati Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training

Editorial BoardsBrain & Life

Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Psychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer Disease and Parkinson Disease

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Reviewing Author