Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Anti-psychotics worsen Alzheimer's

The BBC reports:

Anti-psychotic drugs commonly given to Alzheimer's patients often make their condition worse, a UK study suggests.

Neuroleptics provided no benefit for patients with mild behavioural problems, but were associated with a marked deterioration in verbal skills.

The research focused on 165 people with advanced Alzheimer's who were living in nursing homes in four British cities.

Up to 60% of Alzheimer's patients in nursing homes are given the drugs to control behaviour such as aggression.

The study appears in the journal Public Libary of Science Medicine.


PLoS paper

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