Dementia affects patients' cognitive abilities, especially memory. As the disorder progresses, patients lose more of these cognitive functions, ultimately forgetting family members. Medications, one of the treatment options for dementia, try to slow down the progression of the disease or treat symptoms. A doctor may prescribe one or more drugs, depending on the needs of the patient.
Cholinesterase Inhibitors for Dementia Treatment
The Merck Manual Professional Edition explains that cholinesterase inhibitors, which increase the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, help maintain cognitive functioning. Cholinesterase inhibitors work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, which leaves more for the brain to use. Since acetylcholine is thought to be involved in learning and memory, increased amounts of the neurotransmitter help patients with their short-term memory problems.
Examples of cholinesterase inhibitors that are used for dementia include galantamine, donepezil and rivastigmine. The Mayo Clinic's website points out that doctors prescribe cholinesterase inhibitors to treat specific dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and Parkinson's disease, a neurological condition that results in dementia in later stages.
Dementia Medications for Psychotic and Depressive Symptoms
If dementia patients have psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, they may take antipsychotics. This type of medication affects the neurotransmitter dopamine. Antipsychotics bind to the dopamine receptors in the brain, preventing dopamine from binding to them. If dopamine cannot bind to its receptor, the levels of the neurotransmitter increase, which reduces the psychotic symptoms. Olanzapine, haloperidol and risperdal are examples of antipsychotics prescribed for dementia.
Patients who also show signs of depression, a mood disorder that results in severe sadness, may use antidepressants. The Merck Manual Professional Edition explains that when choosing an antidepressant for a dementia patient, a doctor will most likely prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which affects levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Examples of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors used for dementia include fluoxetine and citalopram. Other options of antidepressants for dementia patients include buspirone, a norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor; imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant; and trazodone, a tetracyclic antidepressant.
Dementia Medications for Memory and Behavioral Problems
The Mayo Clinic's website points out that memantine, a drug that affects the neurotransmitter glutamate, treats mainly Alzheimer's disease, though it may help with other dementias. This drug affects the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which is a glutamate receptor. Memantine binds to the NMDA receptor, blocking glutamate from binding to its receptor. An increase of glutamate in the brain helps with memory. Memantine may also slow the progression of dementia, and doctors may combine memantine with a cholinesterase inhibitor, according to the Merck Manual Professional Edition.
Doctors may prescribe patients a stimulant, like methylphenidate, which improves the behavioral symptoms of dementia, such as apathy. Like antipsychotics, stimulant medications increase the amount of dopamine in the brain, which decrease behavioral problems. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains that stimulants, which are used also as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatment, slowly increase the amount of dopamine by preventing the recycling on the neurotransmitter.
Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch - Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch is a recent graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, CT with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in ...
