L‐Deprenyl in the Treatment of Mild Dementia of the Alzheimer Type: Preliminary Results

Abstract
Objective: To examine the short‐term cognitive and behavioral effects of L‐deprenyl in persons with mild dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) over a 2‐month period. Design: A 15‐month randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial using a parallel‐group design. This report deals with the first 2 months of the trial. Participants: 39 subjects with mild DAT (CDR 1) selected using NINCDS‐ADRDA criteria. Measures: A battery of neuropsychological tests and clinical rating scales. Results: The placebo and L‐deprenyl subjects were similar at baseline on the clinical and neuropsychological tests. There was no evidence of a L‐deprenyl effect on any clinical or neuropsychological measures after 2 months. Conclusion: L‐deprenyl did not have a measurable impact on behavior or cognitive function over a 2‐month period in this group of subjects with mild DAT.