Carcenac D, Martin-Hunyadi C, Kiesmann M, Demuynck-Roegel C, Alt M, Kuntzmann F
Hôpital de Jour d'Evaluation Gériatrique et Gérontologique Saint-François, CHUR de Strasbourg.
Presse Med. 2000 May 20;29(18):992-3.
The cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease is the basis of a new class of drugs: acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. These drugs have few side effects, mainly digestive disorders.
Extra-pyramidal side effects with severe gait disorders were observed in 3 patients with Alzheimer's dementia treated with donepezil. This drug was associated with paroxetine or a neuroleptic. In 2 of the 3 cases, the extra-pyramidal effects disappeared when donepezil was discontinued.
Extra-pyramidal syndromes in elderly subjects with cognitive impairment are difficult to interpret. The possible causes include interactions between acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, neuroleptics and serotonine reuptake inhibitors and Lewy body dementia.
