Risperidone Versus Yokukansan in the Treatment of Severe Alzheimer’s Disease

Purpose: Patients with AD commonly exhibit behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). This study is aimed to compare the efficacy of yokukansan (YKS) and risperidone (RIS) on BPSD in patients with severe Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: Thirty-eight inpatients with AD were investigated. Patients were randomly assigned to the YKS group (N = 18) or the RIS group (N = 20) and treated for 4 weeks. The primary outcomes were changes in the scores on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Barthel Index, and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). The frequency of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and other adverse events were recorded at every visit. Results: All participants in both groups completed the trial. The Barthel Index did not significantly change either in the RIS group or the YKS group. The MMSE scores did not change either in the RIS group or the YKS group. Significant improvements in mean total NPI and CMAI scores showed in both groups. Between the YKS and the RIS groups, there were no significant differences in the NPI or the CMAI scores. EPS and other serious adverse effects were not observed in either group. Conclusions: In this 4-week trial, YKS treatment significantly improved BPSD in the patients with severe AD. The present study suggests that YKS is as effective as RIS on BPSD with severe AD.