Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Apathy is a common symptom of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and is a major burden for AD patients and their caregivers. In AD and non-AD populations, apathy has been associated with dysfunction in the dopaminergic brain reward system. There are currently no proven safe, effective pharmacologic treatments for apathy in AD. The possible efficacy of short-acting methylphenidate has been suggested by neuropathological and neuroimaging studies, but its efficacy and safety have not been fully established. Preliminary data by Herrmann et al. suggest that methylphenidate is superior to placebo for the treatment of apathy in AD. The goal of this study is to expand upon this encouraging preliminary work by evaluating methylphenidate for the treatment of apathy in AD patients. I also want to test the safety of methylphenidate in this elderly population.