Efficacy of Antidepressants in the Treatment of Depression Associated with Alzheimer’s Dementia

Abstract

Alzheimer's dementia is a progressive degenerative brain disease marked by cognitive decline and often accompanied by psychiatric symptoms, with depression being one of the most prevalent non-cognitive symptoms. Various antidepressants have been investigated for their efficacy in treating depression in dementia patients. This study analyses the outcomes of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) regarding the use of antidepressants to treat depression associated with Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). As method, a comprehensive search was conducted for randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies with a minimum duration of 4 weeks. The search included studies evaluating one or more antidepressants. Keywords used were "RCT, depression, dementia," supplemented by terms for each specific antidepressant or class of antidepressant drugs.