Higher-dose (23 mg/day) donepezil formulation for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects the elderly. An estimated 5.4 million people in the United States have AD, and its prevalence is expected to increase rapidly in the coming years.

The art of sharing the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease with patients and caregivers: recommendations of an expert consensus panel.

Objective: To develop a set of recommendations for primary care physicians (PCPs) suggesting how best to communicate with patients, caregivers, and other family members regarding the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Participants: A national roundtable of 6 leading professionals involved in treating or advocating for patients with AD was convened on March 14, 2008. This roundtable included 4 leading academic physicians with diverse backgrounds (a geriatric psychiatrist, a neuropsychiatrist, a neurologist, and a geriatrician) from geographically diverse regions of the United States, who were invited on the basis of their national reputation in the field and experience working with minority populations with dementia; the executive director of a national AD advocacy organization; the executive director of a national advocacy organization for caregivers; and a medical correspondent with expertise in interviewing and small group leadership.

Practical treatment strategies for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

With the "baby boomers" entering retirement and beyond and the life expectancy of the entire population increasing, the burden of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) grows alarmingly greater. Over 5 million people in the United States currently have AD, and that number could triple by 2050. The financial impact of caring for these patients is substantial.

Creativity and dementia: emerging diagnostic and treatment methods for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease research is beginning to yield promising treatments and prevention strategies. Current Alzheimer's disease treatments benefit symptoms, but do not appreciably alter the basic disease process. The new generation of Alzheimer's disease medications, however, will likely include disease-modifying treatments, which will slow disease progression or stop it entirely.

Changing the course of Alzheimer's disease: anti-amyloid disease-modifying treatments on the horizon.

Objectives: To review the amyloid hypothesis as the predominant mechanistic theory of Alzheimer's disease and update the status of new disease-modifying, anti-amyloid treatments in clinical development.

Data Sources: Governmental Web sites and those of professional Alzheimer's disease associations and drug manufacturers were searched for new drugs in development. An English-language search of PubMed (January 2003-January 2006) was conducted using the search terms Alzheimer's disease and amyloid hypothesis and each of the drugs and immunotherapies from the 4 identified classes of anti-amyloid, disease-modifying therapies.

Alzheimer's disease: progress in the development of anti-amyloid disease-modifying therapies.

The amyloid hypothesis--the leading mechanistic theory of Alzheimer's disease--states that an imbalance in production or clearance of amyloid beta (Abeta) results in accumulation of Abeta and triggers a cascade of events leading to neurodegeneration and dementia. The number of persons with Alzheimer's disease is expected to triple by mid-century. If steps are not taken to delay the onset or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, the economic and personal tolls will be immense.

Practical Principles for the Management of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a complex disorder that is particularly challenging to treat and manage. Early recognition of Alzheimer's disease is the first step toward providing patients with optimal therapy and the best opportunity for treatment response. Subsequently, physicians will need to address issues that emerge as the disease inevitably progresses.

Anterior capsulotomy for treatment of refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: results in a young and an old patient.

The objective of this case report was to assess the effect of anterior capsulotomy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in 2 patients beyond extremes of age ranges of published radiofrequency capsulotomy. The youngest patient developed OCD at age 10 with increasing symptoms of tension and worry. The symptoms were refractory to medications and behavioral therapy.