Investigation of the short- and long-term effects of donepezil on cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease

The Wakae Clinic opened its Mental Silver Clinic in May 2002 to provide psychogeriatric services for outpatients with long-term care insurance, and medical services and care for patients with senile mental disorders, mainly dementia. The present report describes a study of 100 patients who received services from the Mental Silver Clinic over 5 years, from January 2003 to December 2007. It compares the age of first diagnosis and age of onset disorder with confirmed diagnosis, results of the initial Mini-Mental State Examination, and Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD), as well as other parameters. Sixty-three of the patients (63%) were diagnosed with dementia. The most problematic behaviors are identified, the most frequent of which was delusion, followed by hallucination, reversed day and night or insomnia, negligence of fire, and delirium. The number of VaD patients was smaller than DLB patients at mental clinic.