Luis Agüera-Ortiz, Ganesh M. Babulal, Marie-Andrée Bruneau, Byron Creese, Fabrizia D’Antonio, Corinne E. Fischer, Jennifer R. Gatchel, Zahinoor Ismail, Sanjeev Kumar, William J. McGeown, Moyra E. Mortby, Nicolas A. Nuñez, Fabricio F. de Oliveira, Arturo X. Pereiro, Ramit Ravona-Springer, Hillary J. Rouse, Huali Wang, Krista L. Lanctôt, and Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Psicoloxía Evolutiva e da Educación
Psychotic phenomena are among the most severe and disruptive symptoms of dementias and appear in 30% to 50% of patients. They are associated with a worse evolution and great suffering to patients and caregivers. Their current treatments obtain limited results and are not free of adverse effects, which are sometimes serious. It is therefore crucial to develop new treatments that can improve this situation. We review available data that could enlighten the future design of clinical trials with psychosis in dementia as main target. Along with an explanation of its prevalence in the common diseases that cause dementia, we present proposals aimed at improving the definition of symptoms and what should be included and excluded in clinical trials. A review of the available information regarding the neurobiological basis of symptoms, in terms of pathology, neuroimaging, and genomics, is provided as a guide towards new therapeutic targets. The correct evaluation of symptoms is transcendental in any therapeutic trial and these aspects are extensively addressed. Finally, a critical overview of existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments is made, revealing the unmet needs, in terms of efficacy and safety. Our work emphasizes the need for better definition and measurement of psychotic symptoms in dementias in order to highlight their differences with symptoms that appear in non-dementing diseases such as schizophrenia. Advances in neurobiology should illuminate the development of new, more effective and safer molecules for which this review can serve as a roadmap in the design of future clinical trials This manuscriptwas facilitated by the Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART), through the Neuropsychiatric Syndromes professional interest area (PIA). The views and opinions expressed by authors in this publication represent those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the PIA membership, ISTAART or the Alzheimer’s Association. Ganesh M. Babulal receives research support from the BrightFocus Foundation (A2021142S), and NIH/NIA (R01AG074302 AG068183, AG067428, AG056466). Marie-Andr´ee Bruneau has received support from Optimizing Practices, Use, Care and Services - Antipsychotics (OPUS-AP) in Quebec, Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement and Quebec Ministry of Health and Social services. Jennifer Gatchel has received research support from the BrightFocus Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, and NIH/NIA. Zahinoor Ismail has received support from Brain Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Dementia. Sanjeev Kumar has received support from Academic Scholars Award from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Brain and Behavior Foundation, National institute on Ageing, BrightFocus Foundation, Brain Canada, Canadian Institute of Health Research, Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, Centre for Ageing and Brain Health Innovation, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto. Equipment support from Soterix Medical. Krista L. Lanctˆot has received support from the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, National Institute on Ageing, Canadian Institutes of Health Research,Weston Brain Institute and the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging. Moyra E. Mortby has received support from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Australian Research Council (ARC) Dementia Research Development Fellowship #1102028. Nicolas A. Nu˜nez has received support from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number T32 GM008685. Fabricio Oliveira has received support from FAPESP – The State of S˜ao Paulo Research Foundation (grant #2015/10109-5). Authors’ disclosures available online (https:// www.j-alz.com/manuscript-disclosures/21-5483r2) SI