Sertraline for the Treatment of Patients With Frontal Lobe Dementia (FLD)
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2000-05-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Dementia refers to a condition where there is a loss of intellectual function (cognition). It
is usually a progressive condition that interferes with normal social and occupational
activities.
Patients with frontal lobe dementia (FLD) suffer from a destruction of the brain cells found
in the frontal lobe of the brain. Loss of frontal lobe neurons can cause changes in
personality, such as aggressiveness, agitation, and depression. In addition, patients with
FLD may have difficulty planning tasks and may have a loss of motivation.
Researchers believe that the cells lost in the frontal lobe of the brain are responsible for
producing a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which means it is
used by neurons to communicate with other neurons. Researchers are inclined to believe that
by replacing the missing serotonin, symptoms of FLD may be relieved.
Drugs known as serotonin uptake inhibitors, help to maintain high levels of serotonin in the
body. They have been used successfully to treat patients with depression and patients with
violent / impulsive behaviors. Sertraline is a serotonin reuptake blocker that is relatively
easy to give (once daily), is safer than most other serotonin reuptake blockers (very little
effect on vital enzyme systems [cytochrome P-450]), and has few interactions with other
drugs.
This study is designed to test the effectiveness of Sertraline for the treatment of symptoms
associated with FLD. Patients participating in the study will receive Sertraline for 6 weeks
and a placebo "inactive sugar pill" for 6 weeks. During the study, researchers will test
psychological and neurological functions to measure the effects of the drug.
Phase:
Phase 1
Details
Lead Sponsor:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)