Abstract
Agitation and psychosis in dementia – to treat or not to treat?
Highlights
This is a very small study with several limitations and no conclusions can be drawn about the potential usefulness of such agents in the treatment of depression or about its safety
In a recently reported study, patients with major depressive disorder of moderate severity were randomised to treatment over 8 weeks with: (1) light monotherapy (30 minutes) plus placebo pill; (2) antidepressant monotherapy (20 mg flu oxetine) plus an inactive negative ion generator (30 minutes); (3) light plus fluoxetine; and (4) placebo light and placebo pill
There has been increasing concern for some years about the use of second-generation anti psychotic drugs (SGAs) in people with dementia, with evidence emerging that these are associated with an increased risk of strokes in this population
Summary
LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs were investigated as potential therapeutic agents in the 1960s, but interest declined over the following decades, only to resurge in the past few years. It was given to patients with treatment-resistant unipolar depression in an open-label study of 6 men and 6 women, and an improvement in symptoms was noted at 1 week and at up to 3 months after treatment. This is a very small study with several limitations and no conclusions can be drawn about the potential usefulness of such agents in the treatment of depression or about its safety. L., Bolstridge, M., Rucke, J., et al (2016) Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study.
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