Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
| | A | | | B | | | C | | | D | | | E | | | F | | | G | | | H | | | I | | | J | | | K | | | L | | | M | |
| | N | | | O | | | P | | | Q | | | R | | | S | | | T | | | U | | | V | | | W | | | X | | | Y | |
Treatment of Dementia
Most types of dementia cannot be cured. The exceptions are those dementias related to vitamin or hormone deficiency (which can be treated with supplements) and head injury (which may be treated through surgery).
An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can be treated with thyroid hormone (thyroxine). Reduction of the blood supply to the brain due to cardiac or respiratory failure or anaemia may also be to some extent treatable.
Alzheimer’s Disease cannot be cured. However, for some people in the early and middle stages of the disease, the drugs donepezil, rivastigmine or galantamine may help prevent some symptoms from becoming worse for a period of time.
Medical researchers are currently looking at other medical treatments including anti-oxidants, brain stem cell therapy and a vaccination to stop the build up of plaques in the brain (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease).
Alternative therapies i.e. non-medical interventions such as music therapy, aromatherapy and reminiscence therapy may be helpful to some people. It is also helpful to give the person the choice to be alone or with others.
It seems that gentle encouragement to use the brain and keeping the environment quite stimulating is a good idea. But it is important not to overwhelm people with demands that may only frustrate them if they can't meet them.
