Apathy in Alzheimer's Disease Methylphenidate Trial
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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Apathy in Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is a significant public health problem with serious adverse consequences for patients and caregivers. Apathy affects approximately 70% of AD patients, making it one of the most common neuropsychiatric symptoms (M. S. Mega, Cummings, Fiorello, & Gornbein, 1996; Steinberg et al., 2006; Steinberg et al., 2007). Despite the high prevalence of apathy in AD, there are no proven treatments for this condition. While non-pharmacologic treatments have been understudied, clinical experience suggests reliable but limited efficacy. Recent studies have begun to explore pharmacologic options, such as cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs). But ChEIs appear to be non-specific to apathy and findings regarding their efficacy have not been widely replicated. Antidepressant medications have also been considered as an option, but some evidence suggests that they could be detrimental rather than helpful in the treatment of apathy in AD. Therefore, better pharmacologic options are urgently needed for the treatment of apathy in AD. Dopaminergic agents show promise as treatments for apathy in AD. The rationale for their use is based on the strong tie between activity of the dopaminergic mesolimbic brain reward system and the expression of motivated behaviors in brain damaged populations. Evidence for the use of dopaminergic agents also comes from case reports and small open-label studies in nondemented populations. Preliminary data from a double blind, placebo controlled single-site crossover pilot study suggest that the dopamine agonist methylphenidate was superior to placebo for the treatment of apathy in AD (Lancttt, in press). The goal of the proposed Apathy in Dementia Methylphenidate Trial (ADMET) is to expand upon this encouraging preliminary work by evaluating methylphenidate for the treatment of AD patients with apathy. This study will employ a multi-site, parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. It will bring together investigators who have collaborated successfully in the execution of the ongoing Depression in Alzheimer's Disease study (DIADS-2) and the completed Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE-AD). ADMET will examine the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate for the treatment of clinically significant apathy in AD patients. It will be a double-blind, 6 week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 100 patients with AD. ADMET will enroll AD patients from outpatient, nursing home, and assisted living settings. This project is of great importance because it will explore the efficacy and safety of a promising dopamine agonist for treating apathy in AD, where there are no proven treatment options. Should methylphenidate be found effective, it will likely become a first line therapy for apathy in AD. In addition, by examining predictors of response, ADMET will lay the foundation for future studies to understand the mechanisms involved in the effects of methylphenidate and other dopamine agonists on apathy. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The 5 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) experience a lack of independence that contributes to the large emotional and economic costs of this disease. Apathy is one of the most common behavioral symptoms of AD and although it is thought to be one of the few potentially treatable causes of dependency in AD, currently there are no effective treatments for apathy. This study aims to develop a new treatment for apathy in AD that could decrease its debilitating consequences and reduce patients' dependency on caregivers, providing well-deserved relief to patients and their loved ones.
