The efficacy of donepezil for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting mostly older adults. Although there are several treatments for AD, cholinesterase inhibitors are the most common treatment used. In this chapter, we discuss the safety and efficacy of donepezil, which is one of the oldest and most popular cholinesterase inhibitors. Accordingly, we discuss the therapeutic effects, the adverse events, and the combined therapies associated with donepezil. When discussing the therapeutic effects of donepezil, we provide an evidence suggesting that the drug has a moderate effect on the neuropsychological symptoms of AD. We also discuss some of the debated effects of donepezil such as neuropsychiatric improvements in AD. Next, we discuss the relationship between drug dosage, treatment benefits, and adverse events. For example, we discuss how higher doses of donepezil increase the neuropsychological benefits of the drug (e.g., cognitive improvements); yet it also increase the likelihood of adverse side effects occurring (e.g., nausea). Lastly, we discuss methods for increasing the effectiveness of donepezil and decreasing drug side effects (e.g., drug titration and combined therapies). Specifically, we focus on popular combined therapies such as donepezil with memantine or cognitive stimulation therapy. Accordingly, this chapter aims to summarize the current donepezil literature and direct future research.