Use of Low-Dose Gabapentin for Aggressive Behavior in Vascular and Mixed Vascular/Alzheimer Dementia
Abstract
Recent reports highlighting serious adverse effects of antipsychotic medication in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) has led to calls for research on alternative agents. The authors describe the use of low-dose gabapentin to treat seven patients with a diagnosis of ICD-10 vascular or Mixed Vascular/Alzheimer Dementia with serious aggressive behavior. All seven patients had impressive and clinically significant responses to treatment. Treatment was tolerated in each case without adverse reactions. Our findings suggest that gabapentin should be considered for treating aggressive behavior in patients with vascular or mixed dementia and that it is well tolerated in this context.
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The anti-epileptic drug gabapentin, which inhibits BCATc, has proved successful in treating behavioural alterations in subjects with AD.
“In addition, the anti-epileptic drug gabapentin, which inhibits BCATc, has proved successful in treating behavioural alterations in subjects with AD (Cooney et al. 2013; Supasitthumrong et al. 2019).”
From Alzheimer’s disease: Targeting the glutamatergic system (2020) · cites this paper as Cooney et al. 2013
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- Authors
- Cooney, C., Murphy, S., Tessema, H., & Freyne, A.
- Affiliations
- St. Vincent's University Hospital (IE)
- From the Dept. of Old Age Psychiatry, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
- Published
- 2013-04
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 120-125
- ISSN
- 0895-0172 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-7222
- OpenAlex
- W2156053290
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2014: 6
- FWCI
- 2.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Neuropsychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Keywords
- gabapentin, aggression, vascular dementia, Alzheimer's disease, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, antipsychotic alternatives, treatment tolerability
- MeSH terms
- Gabapentin, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aggression, Alzheimer Disease, Amines, Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids, Female, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Humans, Male, Retrospective Studies, Dementia, Vascular, Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists, International Classification of Diseases
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