Moclobemide in Elderly Patients with Cognitive Decline and Depression: An International Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial
- 1 February 1996
- journal article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 168 (2), 149-157
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.168.2.149
Abstract
Background: The new reversible MAOI moclobemide was compared with placebo in the treatment of elderly patients with DSM–III diagnosis of dementia and/or of major depression.Method: Six hundred and ninety-four elderly patients with symptoms of depression and cognitive decline entered an international, multi-centre, double blind trial in which they were randomly allocated to treatment with either moclobemide 400 mg daily or placebo for 42 days. Five hundred and eleven patients met DSM–III criteria for dementia and were also depressed (DEM+D); 183 did not meet DSM–III criteria for dementia but met the criteria for DSM–III major depressive episode and also suffered from cognitive decline (MDE+CD).Results: Analysis of the 17 and 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale scores showed that moclobemide, compared with placebo, produced significantly greater improvement in both the demented and depressed groups (P= 0.001 both diagnostic groups). There was an improvement in cognitive function as measured by the SCAG Factor 1 in moclobemide treated patients (P= 0.005 DEM+D;P= 0.02 MDE+CD). There was no evidence of decline in cognitive function as the result of treatment Clinical global assessment of tolerance was ‘excellent’ and ‘good’ in 88% of the moclobemide and in 92% of the placebo treated patients. The proportion of patients discontinuing treatment prematurely was similar in both treatment groups. There were no significant differences in side-effects between treatment groups. There were no significant changes in vital signs, ECG or laboratory findings in either treatment group. There were no dietary restrictions and no report of any tyramine reaction.Conclusions: Moclobemide was shown to be a safe, well tolerated and effective antidepressant, which did not cause impairment of cognitive function in elderly patients with a DSM–III diagnosis of dementia and/or DSM–III major depression.Keywords
This publication has 30 references indexed in Scilit:
- MoclobemideJournal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 1995
- A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Fluoxetine in Geriatric Patients With Major DepressionInternational Psychogeriatrics, 1995
- Antidepressant Drug Therapy in the Elderly - A Critical Review of the Controlled Clinical Trials Conducted since 1980Pharmacopsychiatry, 1994
- A controlled multicenter clinical study of citalopram and placebo in elderly depressed patients with and without concomitant dementiaActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1992
- Moclobemide compared with second‐generation antidepressants in elderly peopleActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1990
- Biotransformation of moclobemide in humansActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1990
- Antidepressant Drug Studies, 1964 to 1986Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 1988
- Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary reportJournal of Psychiatric Research, 1983
- A new rating scale for dementia syndromesArchives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 1982
- A New Depression Scale Designed to be Sensitive to ChangeThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1979