[Treatment of behavioral abnormalities in patients with dementia]

Non-cognitive disorders and behavioral disturbances in dementia syndromes are the domain of antidepressants and neuroleptic agents. At the present time, neuroleptics are being prescribed too often and antidepressants too rarely. The choice of antidepressant depends upon whether a sedative effect is desired. Although caution is advised when increasing the dose, the target dose does not differ from that for young adults. Neuroleptics should always be administered in the lowest effective dose. In principle, the modern atypical substances should be preferred to the classical neuroleptics. Restraint should be exercised with the prescription of benzodiazepines in patients with dementia.