A UK study appears to show no benefit in cognitive or neuropsychiatric outcomes from continuing neuroleptic drugs in Alzheimer's patients.

A randomised, blinded placebo-controlled trial analysed 165 patients already receiving treatment for Alzheimer's disease with neuroleptic drugs including thioridazine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol trifluoperazine or risperidone for behavioural or psychiatric disturbance.

Half of the patients were randomised to continue treatment, while half discontinued treatment.

Patients remaining in each group were assessed for their cognitive status and neuropsychiatric symptoms at six and 12 months.

Researchers at King's College hospital, London, found no differences in cognitive decline between the two groups.

Analysis of neuropsychiatric symptoms also appeared to show no contrast between the two groups.

Patients with severe neuropsychiatric problems at the trial's outset showed some benefit from continued neuroleptic therapy; however researchers concluded that this was not statistically significant.

Study authors noted that the number of patients studied in the trial was small and that further studies are needed to improve the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's patients.

The findings are published in PLoS Medicine.

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