Trial of Dronabinol Adjunctive Treatment of Agitation in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease of aging. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in AD are a major cause of burden to patients, caregivers, and society and are near-universal at some point in the AD course. One of the most troubling of these symptoms is agitation (Agit-AD), typified by a variety of problem behaviors including combativeness, yelling, pacing, lack of cooperation with care, insomnia, and restlessness. There is a great need for better interventions that target Agit-AD, a major source of patient disability as well as caregiver burden and stress, particularly in the case of moderate to severe agitation. This pilot trial could open the door to "re-purposing" Dronabinol (Marinol®) as a novel and safe treatment for Agit-AD with significant public health impact.