A type of drug used to treat the memory loss of Alzheimer's patients appears to also have a modest beneficial impact on behavior and the ability to perform everyday chores, according to researchers reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

While the drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors provide only a modest boost in memory for most patients, the added benefits found by the researchers -- which could delay the need for admission to a nursing home -- might lead to more widespread use.

The researchers analyzed the results of 29 trials in which patients with mild to moderate probable Alzheimer's Disease were treated for at least 1 month with a cholinesterase inhibitor. Sixteen trials included neuropsychiatric and 18 included functional measures.

The researchers found that patients taking the drugs did better over time on tests that assess behavioral problems as well as the ability to perform routine tasks.

" These results indicate that cholinesterase inhibitors have a modest beneficial impact on neuropsychiatric and functional outcomes for patients with Alzheimer's Disease," the researchers concluded. "Future research should focus on how such improvements translate into long-term outcomes such as patient quality of life, institutionalization, and caregiver burden."

Other sources: Journal of the American Medical Association