Study of Mirtazapine for Agitation in Dementia

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with a clinical diagnosis of probable or possible Alzheimer's Disease using National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS/ADRDA) criteria (McKhann et Al, 1984) * a diagnosis of co-existing agitated behaviours * evidence that the agitated behaviours have not responded to management according to the AS/DH algorithm (AS/DH, 2011) * An assessment of Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI; Cohen-Mansfield et al, 1989, Long form) score of 45 or greater * Written informed consent to enter and be randomised into the trial * Availability of a suitable informant (consenting identifiable family carer or paid carer) to provide information on carer-completed outcome measures and who consents to take part in the trial. Exclusion Criteria: * Current treatment with antidepressants (including MAOIs) or antipsychotics. Normal clinical practice should be followed, with an appropriate washout period before trial drug administration. For MAOIs this should be least two weeks. * Contraindications to the administration of mirtazapine as per the current SmPC * Patients with second degree atrioventricular block (patients with third degree heart block, with a pace maker fitted, may be included at PI discretion) * Cases too critical for randomisation (ie where there is a suicide risk or where the patient presents a risk of harm to others) * Female subjects under the age …