Alzheimer's Disease Treatment - Medical Treatment And Non-drug Methods

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Alzheimer's disease treatment

Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed in the elderly. This disease has a devastating effect on the brain of patients, they lose touch with loved ones on an emotional level, there is a loss of the ability to perceive criticism and destruction of the human personality. Coordination of movements is also disturbed, chaotic trembling of the upper limbs begins (the formation of an "Alzheimer's hand" occurs). Over time, the handwriting changes dramatically, memory loss occurs (patients begin to fear theft and hide money and other valuable things in places that they very quickly forget about, after which they accuse household members of theft). Manifestations of aggression are often observed (patients, in order to protect themselves, begin to carry potentially dangerous objects with them),attempts at suicide (against the background of obsessive ideas, patients may repeatedly try to commit suicide).

To prevent the transition of Alzheimer's disease to the acute stage, it is necessary to diagnose this disease in a timely manner, and then carry out complex therapy. Doctors often confuse Alzheimer's disease with other pathologies that have similar symptoms, for example, with the consequences of stroke or discirculatory encephalopathy. That is why BA diagnostics should be carried out by highly qualified specialists in the field of psychiatry, neurology and clinical psychology.

During a comprehensive examination of a patient, a clinical psychologist pays great attention to his cognitive functions:

• Gnosis (responsible for a person's ability to respond to information coming from different receptors, recognize it and recreate integral images);
• Memory (helps people not only to capture information from the outside, but also to store and reproduce it for a long time);

• Intellect (a person analyzes any incoming information, builds logical chains, solves various problems, if necessary, abstracts from the outside world);
• Speech (responsible for the ability to express one's thoughts and take part in dialogue with other people);
• Praxis (people not only acquire various motor skills, but also retain them in their memory for the rest of their lives);
• Attention (a person's psychological activity is maintained at the proper level).

With the development of Alzheimer's disease in patients, all of the above functions are impaired, therefore it is very important for doctors to diagnose this disease in a timely manner and apply the most effective method of treatment.

Specialists often prescribe therapy to such patients, the purpose of which is to stop the disease and reduce the severity of accompanying symptoms. Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative pathology of the brain in which the following side effects are observed: glomeruli (neurofibrillary) form, plaques appear (amyloid), and clinical manifestation of dementia (progressive) is observed.

Medication for Alzheimer's Disease

During the treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease, specialists often prescribe special medications that can significantly facilitate synoptic transmission.

Alzheimer's disease is treated by:

• Donzepil (the daily dosage should not exceed 10 mg, very often it gives a positive effect in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, both vascular and mixed);
• Reminil (Galantamine hydrobromide) is prescribed for the first 4 weeks twice a day at 4 mg, after which the dosage is increased to 8 mg (significantly increases concentration);
• Exelon (rivastigmine), it is necessary to take this drug for the first 4 weeks twice a day at 1.5 mg, after which the dose should be increased to 3 mg;
• Neuromidin (ipidactrin) is prescribed for life twice a day, 10-40 mg of the drug (the dosage is set individually for each patient);
• Memantine (Noodzheron), etc.

The drug Memantine is often prescribed for epilepsy because it significantly reduces the negative effects of glutamate and promotes the survival of acetylcholinergic neurons.

This drug is initially prescribed 1 time per day at 5 mg, after which the dosage may increase to 20 mg per day (in two divided doses). The use of Memantine has a positive effect on all the symptoms of dementia (psychotic, cognitive, behavioral functional disorders), contributing to their active regression.

Phytotherapy

In the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, specialists often resort to herbal medicine, the effect of which is noticeable at the pre-dementia stage. Patients are prescribed phytopreparations, which contain a special component - ginkgo biloba leaves. This tree was given this name by a famous physician from Holland, who at the end of the 17th century moved to Japan for permanent residence.

Translated from Japanese "ginkgo" means "silver fruit". Since fruits ripen on this tree, which have a silvery hue, it received the corresponding name. Ginkgo biloba is distinguished from other plants by resistance to any negative impact, therefore, it was able, unlike other Japanese green spaces, to survive during the accident that occurred at the Fukushima-1 Nuclear Power Plant.

Today, the medical industry actively uses drugs that contain components of the ginkgo biloba tree: cut leaves, crushed bark, etc. Research carried out by scientists from around the world has shown that a full therapeutic effect on the human body can only be achieved by adopting a standardized extract of this plant. The extract obtained by processing the leaves of Ginkgo biloba is contained in the Memoplant preparation. This drug has the following pharmacological properties: improved memory, increased concentration, inhibition of platelet aggregation, stimulation of peripheral and cerebral circulation, reduction of age-related deficiency of neurotransmitters, etc.

In Russian pharmacies, Memoplant is sold in the following dosages (content of ginkgo biloba extract): 40 mg, 80 mg, 120 mg. The specialist individually for each patient selects the daily dose of the drug, which is taken by the course (duration does not exceed 3 months).

Interesting information: Michael Greger, M. D., on the basis of many years of experience and research, claims that the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with the help of medicinal herbs is as effective as special drugs designed to treat this disease.

On the subject: Treatment of Alzheimer's disease with folk remedies

Non-drug methods

During neuropsychological rehabilitation by patients with Alzheimer's disease, specialists can use any modern techniques:

• Mnemonic techniques (help patients develop memory, as a result of which their memorization improves);
• Mediating techniques;
• Information recording system, etc.

Any of the techniques involved will be of benefit to the patient when used in mild dementia. The same effect can be obtained when carrying out rehabilitation using these methods at the time the patients are in the stage of moderate cognitive impairment.

This category of patients should conduct special trainings that can regulate their cognitive functions. Thanks to such training, patients will be able to learn not only to inhibit inadequate responses that arise spontaneously, but also to more quickly switch their attention from one goal to another. After such trainings, people with Alzheimer's disease gain the ability to plan their actions, both for the near future and for the distant future. They are able to solve various mathematical problems and serious financial problems.

During rehabilitation measures, specialists try by any means to reduce the load that during this period is on the weakened memory of patients. Special programs are developed for them, through which patients begin to understand how the most difficult task can be broken down into several simpler stages. Patients begin to more actively use verbal regulation in all their actions.

The main tasks of neuropsychological rehabilitation measures include:

• Development of defective functions;
• The ability to analyze the patient's defect;
• The ability to reduce the impact of the disease on the patient's life.

Rehabilitation of patients with Alzheimer's disease is carried out either in the form of individual sessions or in organized groups, where all participants provide emotional support to each other.

On the subject: List of essential foods and remedies for Alzheimer's disease

Homeopathic treatment

If necessary, patients with Alzheimer's disease are prescribed homeopathic treatment. The course of therapy should only be selected by a homeopathic physician who has the appropriate qualifications in this area of medicine. However, one should not seriously rely on homeopathy - they resort to it in case of ineffectiveness of other methods and just in order to try all possible options.

Author of the article: Sokov Andrey Vladimirovich | Neurologist

Education: In 2005 completed an internship at the IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, completed postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous diseases".