Journal

The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

[Vol.21 No.2 contents]
Japanese/English

Full Text of this Article
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ArticleTitle Treatment for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia
Language J
AuthorList Shigenobu Nakamura
Affiliation Rakuwakai Kyoto Clinical Trial Center
Publication Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 21 (2), 116-122, 2005
Received
Accepted
Abstract Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) often annoy caregivers of demented patients. However, successful therapeutic efforts have not sufficiently been carried out to improve BPSD. This paper describes a strategy to ameliorate BPSD. BPSD is usually induced by a decreased cognitive function and thus different from similar symptoms encountered in patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, therapy might primarily be aimed to improve cognitive disorders. Since demented patients are old and easily prone to side effects of drugs, non-pharmacological treatments are advised to precede drug therapies. Patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia with Lewy body (DLB) could be treated with donepezil which is admitted in Japan. If BPSD is resistant to the treatment with donepezil, patients could be treated with atypical neuroleptics such as quetiapine. When demented patients suffer from depression, serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as trazodone might alleviate the symptom. Anti-parkinsonian drugs are effective for extrapyramidal signs often shown in patients with DLB.
Keywords behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), non-pharmacological therapy (care), donepezil, atypical neuroleptics

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