Donepezil effectiveness for vascular and lewy body dementia?

Memory drugs.: The only drug approved by the fda for parkinsons dementia is rivastigmine oral or patch. Since lewy body dementia is similar, rivastigmine often is used there also. Both donepezil and galantamine (galantamine hydrobromide) have shown benefits in vascular dementia, and rivastigmine has not been studied. These latter 2 drugs are less likely to benefit lewy body patients.

Not FDA approved: Donepizil and other drugs in that class are not fda approved for other dementias(except ad). The exception is Exelon (rivastigmine) approved for pd dementia. Howeverr, it is common to use these drugs for other dementias.

There are some: Small studies which show that Aricept (donepezil) can increase functionality in vascular dementia and can help in lewy body dementia.

Helpful in LBD: I routinely use donepezil effectively in my lewy body disease patients. Although only 40-50% of them actually have cognitive improvements in the here & now, but we suspect it slows the progression of cognitive deterioration anecdotally. Can't comment on personal experience with vascular dementia.