Donepezil for mild cognitive impairment Audio summaries | Evidence Aid summaries | Cochrane Methodology abstracts There is no evidence to support the use of donepezil for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The putative benefits are minor, short lived and associated with significant side effectsProblems with memory which do not meet the diagnostic criteria for dementia, usually called mild cognitive impairment (MCI), can be the first sign of an impending dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, but are not necessarily so. Some memory problems are temporary and some do not worsen. Treatment in the very earliest stages of AD may delay progression to AD. Donepezil (Aricept, E2020), a cholinesterase inhibitor, has been shown to benefit all severities of AD including mild and it is reasonable to investigate its efficacy for those with MCI. There is little evidence that donepezil improved cognitive function, and no evidence that donepezil delays progression to AD, but it was associated with significant side effects. There is no evidence to support the use of donepezil for patients with MCI.
