Galantamine for dementia in people with Down syndrome

Background Alzheimer's dementia (AD) is the most common form of dementia in people with Down Syndrome (DS). Acetylcholine is a chemical found in the brain that has an important role in memory, attention, reason and language. Galantamine both inhibits the activity of acetylcholinesterase and increases the level of acetylcholine. Galantamine can improve cognitive function and slow the decline of AD in the general population over time. It is important to note that people with DS tend to present with AD at a much younger age than the normal population as well as having subtle differences in physiology (e. g. metabolism and heart rate) and may therefore have different requirements from the general population. Objectives To determine the effectiveness and safety of galantamine for people with DS who develop AD. Search strategy CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, BIOSIS, SCI, SSCI and the NRR were searched up to October 2008. We contacted the manufacturers of galantamine as well as experts in the field, to ask about reports of unpublished or ongoing trials. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials of participants with DS and AD in which treatment with galantamine was administered compared with a placebo group. Data collection and analysis No study was identified which met inclusion criteria for this review. Main results No study was identified which met inclusion criteria for this review. Authors' conclusions As there are no included trials, recommendations cannot be made about galantamine for AD in DS. Well-designed, adequately powered studies are required.