Approximately 6 million people in the U.S. and 6 to 8 percent of those over the age of 64 suffer from dementia, according to OmniMedicalSearch.com. Dementia is a progressive loss of memory, reasoning and cognitive functions that impairs a person's ability to perform normal daily activities. There are many types of dementia and many causes of it, including Alzheimer's disease, brain injuries, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. While there is no cure for dementia, there are many options for treatments to slow the progression of the disease and minimize its symptoms.
Prescription Medications
Several medications are used to slow the progression of dementia. The drug prescribed will depend on the type of dementia and the progression of the disease. Drugs like donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine help improve memory function during the earlier stages, while memantine HCL is used when dementia has advanced to moderate or severe stages.
Other drugs are used to treat some of the behavioral symptoms associated with dementia. Anti-psychotic drugs including haloperidol and risperidone are used to minimize the agitation and belligerence that often occur with dementia, and cholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat hallucinations. Most of these medications have serious side effects so they must be administered under the guidance of a physician.
Nutritional Supplements
Several nutritional supplements and vitamins have shown promise in studies to help with memory function that suffers as a result of dementia. When taken three times daily at a dosage of 100 mg, phosphatidylserine may increase levels of brain chemicals associated with memory.
Some studies indicate that Vitamin E together with prescription medication Aricept slowed the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's patients. A daily dose (30 to 50 mg) of zinc may help improve memory function, and a 1.6 g daily three-month dose of L-arginine may help vascular dementia by increasing blood flow to the brain.
Many of these supplements cannot be taken with certain medications, so confer with your doctor before adding to your diet.
Herbs
Herbs have been used to treat disease for centuries, and studies have shown that some can aid in the treatment of dementia. Ginkgo shows promise in treating early stages of the disease when 40 to 50 mg doses are taken three times daily. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) also may be helpful. Chinese studies indicated that 200 mcg twice daily of Huperzine A improved memory in both vascular and Alzheimer's dementia.
Herbs can trigger side effects and can have a negative interaction with other herbs, supplements or medication. As with supplements and prescription medications, no herbs should be taken without a doctor's approval.
Tags: memory function, used treat, associated with, have shown, help improve, help improve memory