Donepezil significantly improves abilities in daily lives of female Down syndrome patients with severe cognitive impairment: a 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Down syndrome (DS) patients share certain neuropathological features with Alzheimer disease patients. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed to investigate the efficacy and safety of donepezil, an Alzheimer disease drug, for DS patients.

METHOD: Twenty-one DS patients with severe cognitive impairment were assigned to take donepezil (3 mg daily) or a placebo for 24 weeks, and evaluated for activities in daily lives by concisely modified International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) scaling system.

RESULTS: ICF scores significantly increased without any adverse effects in the donepezil group in comparison to those in the placebo control. Among the individual functions tested, there was a dramatic improvement in the global mental functions and in specific mental functions.

CONCLUSIONS: Donepezil may effectively and safely improve overall functioning of DS patients with severe cognitive impairment.