Effectiveness of Vortioxetine in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder and Early-Stage Dementia: The MEMORY Study

This work was sponsored by H. Lundbeck A/S Introduction: Depression and dementia are highly prevalent in older adults and often co-occur. This phase 4 study investigated the effectiveness and tolerability of vortioxetine in improving depressive symptoms, cognitive performance, daily and global functioning, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and comorbid early-stage dementia. Methods: Patients (n=82) aged 55–85 years with a primary diagnosis of MDD (onset before age 55 years) and comorbid early-stage dementia (diagnosed ≥6 months before screening and after onset of MDD; Mini-Mental State Examination-2 total score 20–24) received vortioxetine for 12 weeks (initiated at 5 mg/day and up-titrated to 10 mg/day at day 8, with flexible dosing thereafter [5–20 mg/day]). The primary endpoint was change from baseline in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score at week 12. Results: Significant improvement in depressive symptom severity was seen from week 1 onward (P50% of patients were receiving 20 mg/day. Conclusions: Vortioxetine demonstrated effectiveness in clinically significantly improving depressive symptoms, cognitive performance, daily and global functioning, and HRQoL in patients with MDD and comorbid early-stage dementia treated for 12 weeks.