Review

Department of Old Age Psychiatry & Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, 92–216 Lodz, Czechoslowacka Street 8/10, Poland

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: tomasz.sobow@umed.lodz.pl

Department of Medical Psychology, Medical University of Lodz, 91–425 Lodz, Sterlinga Street 5, Poland

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Published Online:30 Oct 2015https://doi.org/10.2217/nmt.15.39

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Abstract

Despite three decades of intensive research, the efforts of scientific society and industry and the expenditures, numerous attempts to develop effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease have failed. Currently, approved and widely used medications to treat cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease are symptomatic only and show at best modest efficacy. In this context, the need to develop a successful, disease-modifying treatment is loudly expressed. One way to achieve this goal is the use of add-on therapies or various combinations of existing ‘conventional’ drugs. Results of several clinical studies and post hoc analyses of combination therapy with all cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine are published. Moreover, there is a need for studies on long-term efficacy of combination therapy in Alzheimer's.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Published online 30 October 2015

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Financial & competing interests disclosure

This publication was supported within the framework of Healthy Ageing Research Centre (REGPOT-2012–2013–1, 7FP). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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Benefits and risks of add-on therapies for Alzheimer's disease

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