Wj. Burke et al., L-DEPRENYL IN THE TREATMENT OF MILD DEMENTIA OF THE ALZHEIMER-TYPE - RESULTS OF A 15-MONTH TRIAL, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 41(11), 1993, pp. 1219-1225
Objective: To examine the cognitive and behavioral effects of L-depren
yl in persons with mild dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) over a 15
-month period. Design: A 15-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-co
ntrolled trial using a parallel-group design. Participants: 39 subject
s with mild DAT (CDR 1) selected using NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Outcome
Measures: A battery of neuropsychological tests and dinical rating sca
les. Results: The placebo and L-deprenyl subjects were similar at base
line on the clinical and neuropsychological tests. The total score on
the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) was significantly less after
15 months in subjects taking L-deprenyl. The only individual item of
the BPRS which differed between groups was disorientation. There was n
o evidence of a L-deprenyl effect on any other clinical or neuropsycho
logical measure after 2, 8, or 15 months. Conclusion: L-deprenyl did a
ppear to have a slight effect on a single measure of psychopathology,
the BPRS. It did not have a measurable impact on any other measure of
behavior or cognitive function over a 15-month period in this group of
subjects with mild DAT and did not appear to slow the progression of
the disease.