Efficacy and Safety of Donepezil Hydrochloride (Aricept) in Vascular Dementia

Inclusion Criteria: The subjects eligible for this study are men and women outpatients, age 40-60 years old,who fulfill the criteria for VAD according to the National Institute of NeurologicalDisorders and Stroke and the Association Internationale pour la Recherche et l'Enseignementen Neurosciences International Workshop (NINCDS-AIREN). Subjects shall undergo extensiveclinical examination by a stroke specialist and radiological examination (CT or MRI) todocument presence of cerebrovascular disease. The clinical diagnosis has to be relevant tothe imaging findings. Other Inclusion criteria: Subjects with clinically stable hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiac disease forthe last 3 months. Subjects with history of recent stroke, who have not been hospitalizedfor stroke in the previous 3 months. Subjects with depression controlled with medications.Subjects should have no hearing or visual impairment and live with a reliable caregiver.

Exclusion criteria: Subjects should have no radiological evidence of other brain disorders (subdural hematoma,post-traumatic / post-surgery) have no depression or other psychiatric disorders,infectious disorders, neoplastic condition, and metabolic and toxic encephalopathies,dementia due to AD or prior diagnosis of AD, and major depression or other psychiatricdisorders. Subjects with clinical evidence of pulmonary, hepatic, gastrointestinal, metabolic,endocrine or other life threatening diseases; pregnancy, history of alcohol or drug abuse,and sensitivity to cholinesterase inhibitors; use of investigational agents, cholinomimeticand anticholinergic agents.