Neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia like depression and apathy in patients with Alzheimers disease (AD) are associated with a lower quality of life. 

The present study determined the efficacy of two antidepressants and one antipathy drug in treating depression and apathy in AD patients. It evaluated the efficacy of sertraline (average dose = 31.8 mg), escitalopram (average dose = 7.3 mg), and nicergoline (average dose = 14.5 mg) in treating depression and apathy over a period of 3 months (M).These patients demonstrated high Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) (>5) or a high Apathy Scale (AS) (>16) scores. 

The patients who received escitalopram treatment showed a significant improvement in GDS score from baseline to 3 M, and those who received sertraline treatment showed a significant improvement in AS score from baseline to 3 M; however, patients who received nicergoline showed no significant changes. 

These results provide novel information on the efficacy of sertraline and Escitalopram in treating apathy and depression, respectively, in patients with AD.

Journal of Alzheimers Disease.2020;76(2):769-772.