What Are the Treatments for Parkinson's Dementia?

An unfortunate part of Parkinson's, the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, is the accompanying development of dementia. In fact, almost 40% of patients with Parkinson's disease develop dementia at some point. Additionally, the risk for developing dementia for Parkinson's patients is 6% higher than in the rest of the population of the same age group.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of Parkinson's dementia are the same as those without Parkinson's. Patients may find themselves misplacing items, or forgetting how to do complicated tasks, like balancing their checkbook or driving. Friends and family may notice symptoms first, like when a patient forgets what the topic is in the middle of a conversation.

Parkinson's Dementia vs Parkinson's Plus Alzheimer's

• To make matters more confusing, a combination of Parkinson's plus Alzheimer's is also not uncommon. The difference can be seen with brain scans, Parkinson's disease makes nerves atrophy, and the pattern of atrophication in Alzheimer's is different than that of Parkinson's dementia, although the symptoms are often the same in the beginning.

Dementia Treatment

• Dementia itself isn't generally treatable, since it's usually related to the breakdown of neurological functioning from another disorder, like hypothyroidism. Treating Parkinson's Dementia, then, involves simply treating the Parkinson's disease.

Specific Treatment for Parkinson's Dementia

• There is no cure for Parkinson's but there are medications that can relieve the symptoms, including dementia. Among these are Levodopa, a combination of Levodopa with Carbidopa, Stalevo, which combines carbidopa, levodopa and entacapone, Symmetrel, Anticholinergics like trihexyphenidyl, benztropine mesylate, or procyclidine, Selegiline, Deprenyl, Dopamine agonists, and COMT inhibitors such as Tasmar and Comtan.

Prognosis

• Since Parkinson's isn't curable, Parkinson's Dementia cannot be cured either. Its symptoms can be managed via drugs for several years. Due to the breakdown of neurological functioning, if the patient isn't entirely lost to dementia, he will slowly lose body functioning from the Parkinson's.