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Alzheimers Disease Therapy

Alzheimer's disease is a condition marked by gradually progressing dementia that is caused by the gradual deterioration of healthy brain tissue. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and the process that causes it is still being investigated, though it is thought to arise from problems with proteins in the brain. There are no cures for Alzheimer's disease, but there are many medications and other treatments for delaying or minimizing the symptoms.

  1. Cholinesterase Inhibitors

    • One of the factors that is thought to contribute to the symptoms of Alzheimer's is the decrease in a specific neurotransmitter, called acetylcholine. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that the brain uses to communicate and acetylcholine is one of the primary ones that neurons in the cortex use to send signals. As a result, one class of medication that is used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease inhibits the action of a protein in the brain, cholinesterase, which breaks downa cetylcholine, thus increasing the levels of acetylcholine in the brain. These drugs include galantamine, rivastigmine and donepezil. These medications do not work for all Alzheimer's patients, however. According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately half of all Alzheimer's patients who take these medications do not show any improvement. These cholinesterase inhibitors can also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

    Memantine

    • Another chemical change in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease is increased levels of a neurotransmitter called glutamate. Glutamate, when present in high levels, can damage and kill neurons. As a result, the drug Memantine was developed to help lower glutamate levels and protect brain cells from glutamate's effects. The Mayo Clinic says that memantine can also cause dizziness as well as agitation and delusional behavior in some patients. Memantine is commonly prescribed alone with a cholinesterase inhibitor for maximum effect.

    Psychiatric and Behavioral Treatments

    • Often the most challenging aspects of Alzheimer's disease is the behavioral and psychiatric symptoms. Many patients with Alzheimer's have verbal and physical outbursts, as well as emotional distress and restlessness. Some even experience hallucinations or delusions and are subject to paranoid thoughts. In these cases, it is important for family members and caretakers to understand that these symptoms are caused by the disease and that in many cases Alzheimer's patients are extremely frustrated by their limitations. One way of treating these problems is to try and create an environment that minimizes the obstacles and anxiety that the patient is experiencing. In addition, because many Alzheimer's patients become depressed, standard antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, such as Prozac or Lexapro) may be helpful.

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