SIU Med School Part of National Study of Dementia

Adult men and women with a clinical diagnosis of dementia or probable Alzheimer's disease are being recruited by Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield as part of a national double-blind, randomized study underway at 33 sites. Three atypical antipsychotic drugs and one antidepressant previously approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use with several psychiatric conditions are being evaluated in various combinations for treating symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. SIU's Department of Neurology is conducting the study for the National Institute of Mental Health.

"Some of the patients with Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases must deal with difficult symptoms, which can include delusions, agitation, aggressive behavior or hallucinations. This study could help find the most effective medications for these symptoms and may help improve the quality of life for patients as well as their families and caregivers" said Dr. Dennis Q. McManus, associate professor of neurology at SIU, who is directing the study.

Volunteers are being sought who are generally healthy and who have experienced the onset of dementia between 40 and 90 years of age. Participants should be experiencing delusions, hallucinations or agitation or aggression severe enough to disrupt daily life. Participants can be living at home, at a family member's home or in an assisted living facility, but not in a nursing home. Each participant will receive a physical exam and other tests before beginning and during ten follow-up visits every four weeks over nine months. There is no charge to the participants for the tests and medications related to the study. Results will be shared with the participant's personal physician.

For more information, contact Linda Read, Department of Neurology, SIU School of Medicine in Springfield at 217-545-8034 weekdays or email her at lread@siumed.edu .

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