New Hope for Alzheimer’s Patients?

October 16, 2006

The results of a small study just reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggest that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may be an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). 17 patients meeting criteria for AD received VNS for 1 year, at the end of which they were assessed for AD via the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). They were also assessed for global change, depressive symptoms, and quality of life. 7 patients had either improved or not declined as measured by the ADAS-cog, while 12 had either improved or not declined as measured by the MMSE. Mood, behavior, and quality of life all remained stable during treatment, and VNS was well-tolerated by all patients. http://www.psychiatrist.com/tocnow.asp

-PC