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The effect of memantine on sleep architecture and psychiatric symptoms in patients with Alzheimer’s disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2015

Ichiro Ishikawa ,
Hideto Shinno ,
Nobuo Ando ,
Takahiro Mori  and
Yu Nakamura
Ichiro Ishikawa
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, Japan
Hideto Shinno*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, Japan Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, Japan
Nobuo Ando
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, Japan
Takahiro Mori
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, Japan
Yu Nakamura
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, Japan
*
Hideto Shinno, Department of Liaison Psychiatry, Kagawa University School of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan. Tel: +81 87 891 2167; Fax: +81 87 891 2168; E-mail: shinnoh@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
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Abstract

Objective

Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are commonly present in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Disturbed sleep quality is also observed in AD patients. However, the effects of memantine on sleep architecture have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of memantine on polysomnography (PSG) variables and BPSD.

Methods

In total, 12 patients with AD (mean age: 79.0±4.1 years old) were enrolled in this study. The following tests were performed: the Neuropsychiatric Inventory for the assessment of BPSD, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive function, and PSG for evaluation of sleep architecture. After baseline examinations, patients were treated with memantine according to a standard prescription protocol. After being treated with 20 mg/day of memantine for 4 weeks, examinations were carried out again.

Results

All subjects completed the trial. The mean MMSE and NPI scores were 22.6±3.4 and 13.8±12.9, respectively. Treatment with memantine significantly decreased the NPI score (5.8±4.3, p<0.01). There were significant decreases in the scores of subscales for anxiety (p=0.04) and irritability/lability (p=0.04). PSG demonstrated a longer total sleep time (TST) (p<0.01), increases in sleep efficiency (p<0.01) and time spent in stage II (% TST, p=0.02), and decreases in nocturnal awakening (p<0.01), the periodic limb movement index (p<0.01), and time spent in stage I (% TST, p=0.02).

Conclusion

Memantine was effective for reducing fragmented sleep and improving BPSD, and was well tolerated.

Keywords

Alzheimer’s diseasebehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)N-methyl-D-aspartateperiodic limb movementpolysomnography
Type
Original Articles
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , June 2016 , pp. 157 - 164
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Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2015 

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