Much of the discussion on this blog is regarding discoveries in Alzheimer’s Disease research and the implication for the future treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. This is of course of paramount concern because there is presently no effective cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. Although there is no cure for cancer either, certain types of cancer can go into remission, or surgery to remove cancer can make a patient cancer-free. AIDS medication, as well, has improved the life expectancy and quality of life for those with HIV, without offering a cure.
Alzheimer’s Disease is in a different category. While there are methods that can potentially improve quality of life, the fact is that a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease will mean deterioration of the brain with no effective means to halt the disease’s progress. However, there are methods to halt the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease, which can improve the quality of life for patients, family members and caretakers alike. Let’s take a look at the Alzheimer’s therapy currently available.
There are two drugs currently used that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:
Cholinesterase inhibitors: these increase the levels of acetylcholine – a chemical in the brain responsible for memory and other cognitive functions. Increasing acetylcholine in Alzheimer’s patients is not overwhelmingly effective: it can postpone the worst symptoms of Alzheimer’s from six to eight months in only half of the patients. As such, it is prescribed mostly for those with mild and early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. The effectiveness of drugs in the early stages is one of the reasons that research into early detection of AD is needed.
Prescription cholinesterase inhibitors include Exelon and Aricept. These drugs have varying side effects and can have contraindications with other medication, so it can be difficult for doctors to find the right pharmaceutical match and the right dosage for each individual patient.
Namenda is a drug for moderate to severe symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease. It is an N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, which regulates glutamate in the brain. Like acetylcholine, glutamate is instrumental in memory, as well as in learning and general information processing. Again, Namenda postpones the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease without actually tackling the disease itself.
Behavior Therapy for Alzheimer’s
Other symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease involve mood swings, depression, anxiety, and other related issues, so anti- anxiety medication is often prescribed to patients. In some cases, anti-psychotic medication is used, but once again the contraindications of powerful psychoactive medication with both the above listed Alzheimer’s treatment and drugs for other physical problems make prescribing these drugs a challenge.
Behavior management for Alzheimer’s Disease normally follows the ABC model. The acronym stands for:
Antecedent – the trigger mechanism that leads to a problematic symptom, such as aggression or anxiety.
Behavior – The resulting symptom.
Consequence – The end result of the behavior.
For effective behavior management, the antecedent is most important, as recognizing a trigger mechanism is important for curbing future problems in behavior. What this means is that some sense of continuity with a caretaker is necessary for the caretaker to recognize these trigger mechanisms, as well as effectively use non-drug methods to address the ensuing behavior. The familiarity of a caretaker with the patient plays a significant part in behavior management.
Non-drug therapy has shown to have some impact – though as implied by that post, more research is needed in non-drug therapy. Behavioral management through setting a simple routine or listening to calming music can address memory problems and anxiety. As with prescribed medication, non-drug behavioral therapy is most effective with milder forms of Alzheimer’s Disease. When used in conjunction with prescription methods, patients may respond positively.
New Drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease
What it boils down to is that current Alzheimer’s therapy is symptom-based, not disease-based. While there are many hopeful developments in Alzheimer’s Disease research, none of these have currently led to widespread treatment of the effects of Alzheimer’s, rather than merely the symptoms. Increased research is needed, and given the fact that so many are desperate for an effective solution, a cure for the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease will be met with widespread celebration, and widespread use. Bioasis is at the forefront of this new research.
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