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Treatment of Alzheimer's

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Many current treatments exist to help with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease but as of today there is no known cure for the disease. Most treatment options include drug therapy and non-drug approaches such as behavioral and environmental modifications. Cognitive enhancers are medications that attempt to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms. According to Esther Heerema MSW (Alzheimer’s Dementia Expert) two classes of medication have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s. They are Cholinesterase Inhibitors and N-Methyl D-Aspartate (NMDA) Antagonists. (http://alzheimers.about.com/od/treatmentofalzheimers/a/Treatment-Of-Alzheimers-Disease.htm) Cholinesterase inhibitors prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger important for learning and memory. This supports communication among nerve cells by keeping acetylcholine levels high. Researchers have found lower levels of acetylcholine in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. They delay worsening of symptoms for 6 to 12 months, on average, for about half the people who take them. If side effects occur, they commonly include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increased frequency of bowel movements. There are three Cholinesterase inhibitors medications: Donepezil (Aricept) is approved to treat all stages of Alzheimer's. Rivastigmine (Exelon) is approved to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's. Galantamine (Razadyne) is approved to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's.
N-Methyl D-Aspartate (NMDA) Antagonists: The only drug in this class is Namenda, it is used to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. Namenda appears to work by regulating glutamate, which facilitates learning, but too much causes brain cells to die. Namenda is only somewhat effective in delaying the progression of symptoms in late

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