Galantamine for Aggressive Behavior in Alzheimer's Disease

摘要

In Japan, two cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs), galantamine and rivastigmine, are marketed in 2011 in addition to donepezil. As one ChEI is not allowed to be combined with other ChEI, we should select one of three ChEIs for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among the ChEIs, galantamine has unique characteristics of potentiation of nicotinic actylcholine receptor KnAChR) binding to an allosteric site of the receptor. Therefore, we have supposed that symptoms of AD related with nAChR dysfunction might be ameliorated with administration of galantamine. Here we report a case of an AD patient showing amelioration by galantamine. Informed consent of reporting was obtained by her proxy.