Senile Dementia Treatment

Here is a great dementia resource for caregivers and healthcare professinals,

Here is information on being the best caregiver you can be

Here are more interesting dementia articles and activities,

eHow

Dementia is a condition with many symptoms having to do with memory, thinking, learning, and perceiving. Many things cause dementia. Some conditions are reversible and are alleviated by treating the underlying cause. Some types of dementia are irreversible. The most common type of this dementia is Alzheimer's disease. The second most common type is vascular or multi-infarct dementia. Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal lobe dementia are also fairly common irreversible dementias. At the present time, treating the symptoms is the only option. Often, people with dementia exhibit problem behavior. Managing this is necessary because these people can be a danger to themselves or others. Without treating these symptoms, geriatric psychiatric facilities would be overloaded.
Many scientists, from all over the world, research new treatments for dementia. Treating dementia has come a long way, but there is still a long way to go before finding a cure.

Underlying Conditions
There are some conditions causing dementia that are treatable. These ailments include head injuries, chronic drug abuse, removable tumors, normal-pressure hydrocephalus, vitamin B12 and other vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition, hypothyroidism, and hypoglycemia. Treating these conditions will totally or at least partially cure the underlying dementia. The treatments vary depending on the root cause. Some treatments are as simple as eating a healthy diet. Having a complete physical exam by a knowledgeable doctor is the first step in treating senile dementia.
Some persons with dementia will never be the same because the dementia affecting them causes permanent changes in their brain.

Standard Treatment
Managing the symptoms of irreversible dementia is the standard treatment because there is no way of curing these dementias.
At this time, only three drugs are approved for treating the symptoms. They are donepezil (Aricept®), galantamine (Reminyl®), and rivastigmine (Exelon®). Recently there has been some success with patients using the Exelon patch.
Abnormal proteins and stiff arteries in the brain of those with dementia cause cell death. These drugs work in a similar fashion. They all prevent an enzyme known as acetylcholinesterase from breaking down acetylcholine in the brain. Increased levels of acetylcholine allow for more communication between the remaining nerve cells. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger. The use of these drugs may temporarily improve or stabilize the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Some sufferers cannot tolerate the side effects of these drugs.

Sleep Changes
Those with dementia sleep differently. As we age, changes in sleep patterns occur. These, coupled with a decrease in the circadian cycle length and lack of awareness of the appropriate time to sleep, in those with dementia can affect nighttime sleep.
Managing the behavior of persons with dementia may help. Here are things that may work: restrict caffeine, stimulant medications, and daytime naps; exercise early in the day; keep their room cool and quiet during the night; and limit evening fluid intake.
If none of these suggestions work, certain sleep medications such as chloral hydrate, trazodone, or thioridazine may help.

Behavioral Symptoms
People with dementia may exhibit problem behavior for a number of reasons. Often these behaviors have psychotic features, including hallucinations and delusions. Treat these symptoms with behavior management, if possible.
Try to identify the trigger to the problem behavior. Sensing the start of a problem behavior is key because you are much more likely to stop it in the early phases. Avoid arguing, as the person with dementia will not likely believe what you are saying. Instead, refocus and redirect their attention.
If this does not work, then medication is the next option. Using drugs for convulsions, depression, and mood stabilization may be a good option.

Cognitive Retraining
A relatively new treatment for dementia is......read all of Senile Dementia Treatment

Promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease: Clinical trial in Philadelphia area

Examiner.com
Lynda Seminara

Dimebon is a promising medication for Alzheimer's disease, which differs from the drugs commonly used for this condition.

This 25-year-old Russian antihistamine has been successful for stabilizing Alzheimer's disease. The difference it has been making is "the biggest ever seen in Alzheimer's disease," according to David T. Hung, MD, President and CEO of the the US firm developing Dimebon.

Dimebon is just one study away from FDA approval. The Phase III clinical trial is currently enrolling patients. There are 25 participating sites in the United States, including one in Norristown, PA.

Here's more about this investigational trial.....read the whole article

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Cerebrolysin Improves Cognition and Clinical Functioning in Patients With Moderate to Moderate/Severe Vascular Dementia: Presented at ADPD

DG

By Chris Berrie

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Cerebrolysin is safe and improves both cognition and clinical functioning in patients with moderate to moderate/severe vascular dementia, according to trial data presented here at the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases (ADPD).

Previous clinical studies have shown that cerebrolysin can have positive clinical effects on patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

"We performed this trial because we had some very promising results from preliminary data, and so we moved to a bigger trial with more patients in vascular dementia," stated Edith Doppler, PhD, Research and Development, EBEWE Pharma, Unterach, Austria, presenting the prospective study here on March 14.

The aim was thus to determine the clinical outcome and safety of cerebrolysin treatment as an add-on to standard treatment with acetylsalicylic acid, as compared to placebo.

Subjects included in this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial were aged 50 to 85 years with a confirmed diagnosis of vascular dementia, baseline Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores between 10 to 24, modified Hachinski Ischaemic score over 4, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores of 15 or less. All women were postmenopausal. Standard exclusion criteria were applied.

Baseline was defined as 6 months of acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg treatment, when the 232 intention-to-treat patients with vascular dementia were randomised to receive add-on placebo (n = 115) or intravenous cerebrolysin 20 mL daily (n = 117) as two 1-month treatment cycles over 6 months, followed by 2-month treatment-free intervals.

The baseline clinical characteristics of the placebo and cerebrolysin groups were similar, including probable vascular dementia (73.9% vs 68.4%, respectively) and possible vascular dementia (26.1% vs 31.6%). Baseline scores on the modified Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) were also similar (30.2 vs 29.5, respectively), as were the scores on the MMSE (19.4 vs 19.8), the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL) subscale (52.5 vs 52.4), clock-drawing scores (6.2 vs 6.5); and trail-making scores (160.0 vs 149.9).

With the primary endpoints as changes from baseline, cerebrolysin treatment was significantly more beneficial than placebo at all assessments through to completion at 6 months on the ADAS-cog, (-10.6 vs -4.5; P < .0001 for all). On the Clinician's Interview Based Impression of Change plus caregiver input (CIBIC+), at completion, about 75% of the cerebrolysin group showed clinical improvements, with only about 35% seen for placebo.

The odds ratios for achieving a favourable response (ADAS-cog >4 points; CIBIC+ <4 points, from baseline) were........read the whole article

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For a great resource for those with dementia, caregivers and healthcare professinals, click here

Alzheimer's disease could be tackled by treating patients' livers

Alzheimer's disease could be tackled by treating the liver of sufferers, so they can dispose of a toxic protein linked to the illness.
Telegraph.co.UK
By Lucy Cockcroft


Scientists believe that helping the liver to clear amyloid-beta protein from the blood could provide a new way of combating the devastating effects of Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia.

Alzheimer's, which causes progressive loss of memory and mental faculties, affects almost 417,000 people in Britain, including fantasy author Terry Pratchett who is campaigning for more research into the disease.

A key characteristic of the disease is the accumulation of neuron-damaging amyloid-beta (A-beta) in the brain.

New research shows that levels of the protein in the brain are affected by their levels in the peripheral blood stream.

Scientists in the US and Hong Kong manipulated the livers of laboratory rats to increase blood levels of amyloid-beta. One of the liver's primary jobs is to remove toxic substances from the blood stream.

The researchers found that raising A-beta blood levels slowed down the speed at which molecules of the protein were swept from the rats' brains.

The findings, reported in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, support the theory that freely circulating amyloid-beta concentrations outside the brain can regulate clearance rates inside the central nervous system.

Dr David Cook, from the University of Washington School of Medicine said: "We knew from previous work that the liver plays an important role in removing A-beta from the blood. So, we thought if we temporarily prevented liver-mediated clearance it might be possible to set or 'clamp' peripheral A-beta levels long enough to find out whether A-beta in the blood stream affects A-beta clearance from the brain.

"We were a bit surprised to see how effective this strategy was. Peripheral A-beta clearance immediately halted almost completely. For several years it has been suggested that the circulatory system can act like an A-beta sink. The data clearly show that the liver is the primary drain."

Co-author Dr Sum Lee, from the University of Hong Kong, said: "The liver influences virtually everything that happens in the body, so it is not far-fetched to imagine that in the future it may be possible to find ways to help the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients with their livers."

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "This new study shows us just how complex Alzheimer's disease is, suggesting.........read the whole article

For more dementia information, click here

For Alzheimer's and dementia activities, click here

For information on being the best caregiver you can be, click here

For a great resource for those with dementia, caregivers and healthcare professinals, click here

Caregiver Committed to Fighting Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's Weekly
WHEN SHIRLEY Leon Garrison says "Alzheimer's is a cruel disease," he speaks with the voice of grim experience.

He recalls noticing the first signs of the disease in his wife, Mildred, back in 1991 - their 50th wedding anniversary year - and he was by her side for the next 15 years, facing every stage of the disease with her until her death in May 2006.

Along the way, he became perhaps the most committed man in America to finding a way to stop Alzheimer's disease.

He and his wife donated $1 million....read the whole story

Study confirms benefit of combination therapy for Alzheimer's disease

EureikAlert
Sue McGreevey
Massachusetts General Hospital
First long-term study finds that treatment slows symptom progression, benefits last for years
Extended treatment with Alzheimer's disease drugs can significantly slow the rate at which the disorder advances, and combination therapy with two different classes of drugs is even better at helping patients maintain their ability to perform daily activities. Results from the first long-term study of the real-world use of Alzheimer's drugs, published by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in the July/September issue of Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, support a level of effectiveness that may not be immediately apparent to patients or their family members.
"There has been the impression that these drugs only work for... read the whole article

Practical recommendations on preventing aggression in dementia patients by screening for and treating predictive factors.

Modern Medicine

Geriatrics
Persons with dementia often present with non-cognitive clinical symptoms, such as aggression, which can be distressing and dangerous to both caregiver and patient. Depression, pain, caregiver burden, and the quality of the caregiver-patient relationship can contribute to the onset of aggression. Given the risks involved with medication, there is a strong need for preventive and nonpharmacological interventions before such behaviors occur. This article gives practical recommendations for primary care physicians on how to prevent aggression in dementia patients by screening for and treating predictive factors. Clinically useful assessment instruments and treatment options are discussed, in addition to referral sources.
Nguyen VT, Love AR, Kunik ME. Preventing aggression in persons with dementia. Geriatrics. 2008;63(10)21-26.
Key words: aggression, dementia, geriatric assessment, pain, depression, caregiver, psychotherapy
Drugs discussed: acetaminophen, citralopram, sertraline
Dementia is a major public health concern, especially with the growing aging population. The incidence of dementia increases with age, and it was estimated to affect 24.3 million individuals worldwide in 2005 and predicted to rise to 81.1 million by 2040.1
Dementia is a multidimensional...read the whole article

Smart pill: A natural way to stop dementia in its tracks

MarketWatch
'SmartPill' Uses Vitamin Formulation to Improve Brain Health, Memory
Researchers at UMass Lowell have demonstrated success in improving the memory and brain function of patients with Alzheimer's disease, findings that will be published in the December/January issue of the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Called the "SmartPill," the vitamin-based formulation has been shown to improve memory and recall speed in normal adults and Alzheimer's and other dementia patients, without side effects. On Monday, Oct. 20, the Alzheimer's Association presented a grant, awarded competitively at the national level, to support additional clinical trials to test whether the formulation can delay the onset of the disease.
James Wessler, president and CEO of the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, presented a check for $240,000 for three years to UMass Lowell Prof. Thomas Shea, the lead researcher on the "SmartPill." A licensing agreement to bring the pill to the market under the name MemoryXL to be sold without a prescription is in negotiations.
"This formulation is the first, non-prescription, low-cost intervention for Alzheimer's disease," says Shea, a professor in UMass Lowell's Biological Sciences Department. "One can start this at the first indication of memory problems, or even before for general brain health, instead of waiting for the severe deterioration of advancing Alzheimer's."
Shea, representatives of the Alzheimer's Association's Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter and UMass Lowell, including Chancellor Marty Meehan, were among those who attended.....read the whole article