The Efficacy and Safety of Alzheimer's Disease Therapies: An Updated Umbrella Review

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#activities-of-daily-living #alzheimer-disease #amino-acids #cholinesterase-inhibitors #cognition

The Efficacy and Safety of Alzheimer's Disease Therapies: An Updated Umbrella Review

Fan et al., 2022 | J Alzheimers Dis | Meta Analysis

Citation

Fan Fangcheng, Liu Hua, ... Cheng Yong. The Efficacy and Safety of Alzheimer's Disease Therapies: An Updated Umbrella Review. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;85(3):1195-1204. doi:10.3233/JAD-215423

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Evidence summaries for efficacy and safety of frequently employed treatments of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are sparse. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to perform an updated umbrella review to identify an efficacious and safe treatment for AD patients. METHODS: We conducted a search for meta-analyses and systematic reviews on the Embase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to address this knowledge gap. We examined the cognitive functions, behavioral symptoms, global clinical assessment, and Activities of Daily Living as efficacy endpoints, and the incidence of adverse events as safety profiles. RESULTS: Sixteen eligible papers including 149 studies were included in the umbrella review. The results showed that AChE inhibitors (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, Huperzine A), Ginkgo biloba, and cerebrolysin appear to be beneficial for cognitive, global performances, and activities of daily living in patients with AD. Furthermore, anti-Aβ agents are unlikely to have an important effect on slowing cognitive or functional impairment in mild to moderate AD. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that AChE inhibitors, Ginkgo biloba, and cerebrolysin are the optimum cognitive and activities of daily living medication for patients with AD.

Key Findings

Sixteen eligible papers including 149 studies were included in the umbrella review. The results showed that AChE inhibitors (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, Huperzine A), Ginkgo biloba, and cerebrolysin appear to be beneficial for cognitive, global performances, and activities of daily living in patients with AD. Furthermore, anti-Aβ agents are unlikely to have an important effect on slowing cognitive or functional impairment in mild to moderate AD.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population ad
Sample Size 149
Age Range See abstract
Condition cognitive

MeSH Terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Alzheimer Disease
  • Amino Acids
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Cognition
  • Donepezil
  • Galantamine
  • Ginkgo biloba
  • Humans
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Patient Safety
  • Plant Extracts
  • Rivastigmine
  • Ginkgo Extract

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: ginkgo

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09