OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of donepezil for severe Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS Patients with severe AD (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] scores 1 to 12 and Functional Assessment Staging [FAST] scores > or =6) were enrolled in this multinational, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at 98 sites. Patients were randomized to donepezil 10 mg daily or placebo for 24 we...

BACKGROUND The cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil is used to treat mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Its efficacy in severe dementia has not been assessed and is controversial. Our aim was to ascertain the effectiveness of donepezil in patients with severe Alzheimer's disease, by focusing primarily on cognition and activities of daily living. METHODS We did a 6-month, double-blind, parall...

BACKGROUND Cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) such as donepezil have the effect of delaying progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but their effect on life expectancy is unclear. We analyzed the influence of donepezil on life expectancy after onset of AD, together with the effects of antipsychotic drugs and residency in a nursing home. METHODS All outpatients at the Tajiri Clinic from 1999-2...

BACKGROUND Clinical trials have shown the benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. It is not known whether treatment benefits continue after the progression to moderate-to-severe disease. METHODS We assigned 295 community-dwelling patients who had been treated with donepezil for at least 3 months and who had moderate or severe Alzheimer'...

A wide range of evidence shows that cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors can interfere with the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The earliest known ChE inhibitors, namely, physostigmine and tacrine, showed modest improvement in the cognitive function of AD patients. However, clinical studies show that physostigmine has poor oral activity, brain penetration and pharmacokinetic parameters, whi...

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed during a verbal recall task using [(15)O]water positron emission tomography (PET) in older adults with mild cognitive deficits participating in a placebo-controlled donepezil trial. The placebo group demonstrated reduced CBF in the left frontal and temporal regions over the 6-month period, while those receiving donepezil did not. The placebo group's perfor...

AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of donepezil HCl (5 mg) in patients with impaired hepatic function, following the administration of single oral doses. METHODS This was an open-label, non-randomized study comparing the pharmacokinetic profile of donepezil in male volunteers with chronic compensated cirrhosis of the liver (n = 10) to that in healthy age- an...

PURPOSE Ginkgo extract EGb 761 and cholinesterase inhibitors have been shown to be effective in the treatment of dementia patients. In addition to neuroprotective effects, Ginkgo extract EGb 761 has been reported to elevate brain levels of certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine, noradrenaline, and acetylcholine. In the present study, we investigated the impact of EGb 761, donepezil and the ...

The effects of yokukansan and donepezil on learning disturbance and aggressiveness were examined in amyloid β protein (Aβ)-injected mice. Intellicage tests showed that both yokukansan and donepezil ameliorated Aβ-induced learning disturbance, but the ameliorating effect of donepezil was not enhanced by concomitant administration of yokukansan. On the other hand, a social interaction test showed...

Actavis and Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the New Drug Application for NamzaricTM for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type in patients stabilized on memantine hydrochloride and donepezil hydrochloride. Namzaric will be available in two dosage strengths: 28/10 mg (memantine extended release/donepezi...