Dysthymia and Apathy: Diagnosis and Treatment

Table 2

Possible medications for apathy.

Category	Class	Main background disease	Representative drug name
Antidepressants	SSRIs^∗; SNRIs**; NaSSAs***; DNRIs****; Tetracyclic antidepressants; Tricyclic antidepressants	Depression	Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine; Sertraline; Milnacipran; Mirtazapine; Bupropion; Maprotiline; Amoxapine; Nortriptyline
Dopamine stimulants	Dopamine agonists	Parkinson’s disease, depression (?)	Bromocriptine; Pramipexrole; Ropinirole; Amantadine
	MAO-B inhibitor		Selegiline
Antipsychotic agents	Atypical antipsychotic agents	Negative symptoms (apathy-like symptoms) of schizophrenia	Clozapine, Risperidone,; Olanzapine, Quetiapine,; Ziprasidone
Psychostimulants	Dopaminergic agents	Primary apathy or apathy syndrome	Methylphenidate; Pemoline; Amphetamine; Modafinil
Antidementia agents	Cholinesterase inhibitors	Alzheimer’s disease	Donepezil; Galantamine; Rivastigmine; Metrifonate; Tacrine
	Pyrrolidone-type nootropic agent	Stroke, Alzheimer’s disease	Nefiracetam
Cerebral circulation and metabolism stimulants	Ergot alkaloid	Stroke	Nicergoline
Antiplatelet drugs	Phosphodiesterase inhibitor		Cilostazol

*Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: there have been a few reports that SSRIs are not effective for apathy. **Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors. ***Noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants. ****Noradrenaline-dopamine reuptake inhibitors.