Emerging evidence supports the use of methylphenidate (MPH) for the treatment of apathy in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study aimed to investigate the additional effects of MPH on attention in an AD sample and the relationship between apathy and attention. AD patients enrolled in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study to examine the safety and efficacy of MPH (10mg PO twice daily) for the treatment of apathetic symptoms were tested on attention and apathy every 2 weeks for 6 weeks. A mixed effects linear regression revealed attention change scores (endpoint - baseline) over time favouring MPH (δ=1.01, p=0.03), though there were no significant associations between apathy and attention change scores (r=-0.08, p=0.54). These results suggest that while MPH can improve both apathy and attention, the effects appear independent in this patient population. This study provides insight into the different effects MPH can produce in a heterogeneous disease such as AD.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/35111 |
| Date | 18 March 2013 |
| Creators | Chau, Sarah |
| Contributors | Lanctôt, Krista |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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