Study: Exelon Appears to Improve Behavioral Symptoms of Alzheimer's

The cholinesterase inhibitor Exelon ® (rivastigmine tartrate) appears to reduce certain behavioral symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations that are associated with Alzheimer's disease .

The report on the effects of Exelon on the neuropsychiatric and behavioral disturbances of 173 nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease was presented at the 11th Annual Congress of the International Psychogeriatric Association in Chicago, IL. Seventy-seven percent of patients had at least one behavioral symptom at baseline.

At the end of the 26-week study period, more than half (59 percent) of the patients treated with Exelon who exhibited at least one behavioral symptom showed improvement on a standardized gauge of psychiatric and behavioral disturbances.

According to the study, improvements were evident in patients with delusions, hallucinations, agitation, apathy/indifference, irritability, aberrant motor behavior, night-time behavior and appetite/eating change.

"Behavioral symptoms such as agitation, aggression and paranoia present enormous burdens on caregivers and often lead to a decision to institutionalize a patient," explained study author Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, professor of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles.

"My data suggest that treatments such as Exelon may reduce specific disruptive behaviors, which is important because of the significant impact these symptoms have on patients and caregivers alike. This is in addition to demonstrated benefits in cognitive performance, global functioning, and activities of daily living."

Exelon is currently approved for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Exelon use is associated with significant stomach-related side effects.

Other sources: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation