Escitalopram Treatment of Patients With Agitated Dementia

Inclusion Criteria:

• Dementia of Alzheimer's type with behavioral disturbance

• Mild to severe cognitive impairment

• Age over 60

• Medically stable

• Agitation present both at screening and baseline

• Agitation not responsive to simple nonpharmacologic interventions and lasting at least 2 weeks prior to enrollment.

• Available Health Care Proxy or other legal representative to give informed consent,and patient assent.

• No planned change in environment for duration of study

• At least one reliable caregiver

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any intercurrent medical problem that could explain the agitation

• History of major depression or bipolar preceding the onset of dementia

• Other major psychiatric illness preceding the onset of dementia or mental retardation

• Other dementias

• History of alcohol abuse or dependence in the last 2 years

• Delirium (or history of delirium in the last 8 weeks)

• Treatment with other psychotropic drugs except those permitted in the protocol.Patients already treated for agitation with psychotropic medication must be able tosuccessfully discontinue it and tolerate a washout period of no less than 1 week.

• Treatment with non-psychotropic, centrally active drugs believed to contribute topatient's agitation.

• Severe psychiatric symptoms requiring psychiatric hospitalization or suicidal,homicidal potential.

• History of intolerance to citalopram

• Noncompliance with oral medication or inability to take oral medication

• Modified Hachinski score of 4 or greater