05/04/2023
What is dementia?
Dementia describes various symptoms of cognitive decline, such as forgetfulness. It is a symptom of several underlying conditions and brain disorders.
Dementia is a general term for symptoms affecting memory, communication, and thinking. Although the likelihood of having dementia increases with age, it is not a normal part of aging.
Dementia treatment
There is currently no cure for most types of dementia, as it is not yet possible to reverse brain cell death. However, treatment may help manage symptoms.
Some medications may help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Three drugsTrusted Source, known as cholinesterase inhibitors, have approval for use in the United States. They are:
donepezil (Aricept)
galantamine (Reminyl)
rivastigmine (Exelon)
Cholinesterase inhibitors can also help manage behavioral symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
A person may also use memantine (Namenda), which is an NMDA receptor antagonist, either alone or with a cholinesterase inhibitor.
If the symptoms result from an injury, medication use, or a vitamin deficiency, it may be possible to prevent further damage.
