Aricept is FDA-approved to treat only dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. It’s not approved to treat other types of dementia or depression.
But Aricept may sometimes be prescribed off-label for other types of dementia. Off-label drug use means using a drug for a purpose other than what it’s been approved for by the FDA. These uses may include dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease. Some clinical studies suggest that Aricept may be beneficial for this use, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Aricept is not known to be effective for depression. In fact, it may cause depression as a rare but serious side effect.
A study looked at whether donepezil, taken with antidepressants, could help improve cognitive function in adults with depression. The results showed that donepezil was no better than a placebo (a treatment that contains no active drug).
If you have questions about treatment options for your condition, talk with your doctor.