Dementia Treatment to Possibly Improve Mental Function

The next step after diagnosis is an extensive period of dementia treatment. A person diagnosed with dementia has a high degree of memory loss, low attention span and very poor language and problem solving functions over a period of six months. Dementia, on many occasions occurs as a complication of a disease rather than a disease itself and doctors treat dementia according to its cause. Many factors can contribute to the development of dementia, some can be resolved permanently with the use of medications while the most common factors can only be managed with the use of drugs and extensive care to prevent further nerve cell death.

Treatment of non-reversible dementia

Dementia caused by gene-related conditions like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Niemann-Pick’s disease is treated with the use of cholinesterase inhibitors, antidepressants , anxiolytics and other medications. These drugs cannot cure the patient but can improve mental function. Also, these diseases are neuron-degenerative and if not treated on time, will worsen at a faster rate.

To treat vascular dementia, doctors provide medications that prevent the re-occurrence of stroke and heart failure, which can lead to further nerve cell damage, thereby reducing the progression of dementia. The medications provided will not cure already existing dementia, but will stop further damage in the brain.

Patients with irreversible causes are given the best dementia treatment care plan possible, so that life can be properly managed for as long as possible. Patients are taught how to improve their learning abilities with the use mnemonics and paper tags. Caregivers and family members are also given detailed instructions and education on how to take care of the patient. Check-ups are done on the patient from time to time and anti-depressants and anti-psychotic drugs are administered regularly to reduce the occurrence of incidences making it easier to care for them.

Treatment of dementia caused by reversible or underlying conditions:

• Hypothyroidism can cause dementia and it is treated  with the use of medications containing the thyroid hormone or thyroxin.

• Dementia caused by brain infections i.e encephalitis is treated with the use of corticosteroids, antibacterial or antiviral drugs to prevent further inflammation of brain tissue.

• Anti-depressants are administered to patients with dementia caused by depression.

• Dementia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency can be treated with the the use of prescription tablets.

• Dementia caused by brain tumors is treated by surgery. During this process, the tumor is excised and pressure is lifted from the area of the brain that is responsible for the symptoms of dementia.

• To treat dementia caused by HIV, medications are given to the patients to boost  functioning of the immune system. In the course of dementia treatment, patients become less prone to diseases that may influence the re-occurrence of dementia.