Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease

At the moment, there is no cure for Alzheimer's Disease. For some people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimer's Disease, certain medications may alleviate some cognitive symptoms or keep the symptoms from getting worse for a limited time. Other medications may help control behavioural symptoms such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety and depression.

Follow the links below to find information relating to the latest research and treatments for Alzheimer's Disease.

Reviewed May 2008

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Systematic Reviews of Treatments for Alzheimer's Disease
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Links to systematic reviews of the evidence for the effectiveness of treatments for Alzheimer´s Disease
16 Resources Found
Results 1 to 16 displayed.
Title:   Dementia
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. These patients have difficulty remembering recent events and may notice problems with speech and thinking.
Date:   Feb 2009
Title:   Alzheimer's disease and exercise
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   People with Alzheimer's disease can benefit from exercise. Physical activity can help to reduce depression for people with Alzheimer's disease and protect against falls and fractures.
Date:   Mar 2008
Title:   Alzheimer's disease - latest research
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Alzheimer's disease is one type of dementia. It is a progressive and eventually fatal disease of the brain. It impairs higher brain functions such as memory, thinking and personality. Current research is looking at causes, treatment and possible prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Date:   Mar 2008
Title:   Down syndrome and Alzheimer's
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The connection between Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease is complex. Studies of the brains of people with Down syndrome reveal that, by the age of 40, almost all develop the brain changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Not every person with Down syndrome will develop the clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Date:   Oct 2007
Title:   Subsidies for Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl: what are the conditions?
Publisher:   Alzheimer's Australia
Description:   Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl are now approved for listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) but only for people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and subject to certain conditions. This Update Sheet provides information about the conditions that need to be met in order to receive these medications at the subsidised rate.
Date:   Oct 2006
Title:   Licensed drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease in Australia : Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
Publisher:   Alzheimer's Australia
Description:   This update Sheet provides information about how these drug treatments work, who might benefit and what questions people with dementia, their families and carers should ask their doctor before being prescribed any of these drugs.
Date:   Oct 2006
Title:   What now for Alzheimer's Disease? An epidemiological evaluation of the AD2000 trial (Editorial)
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   In recent years, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This has been mainly on the strength of many randomised placebo-controlled trials showing a statistically significant improvement in cognitive, functional and behavioural scores mainly at 12 and 24 weeks.
Date:   Dec 2005
Title:   Ebixa (Memantime) - What is it?
Publisher:   Alzheimer's Australia
Description:   A drug has been released in the UK and parts of Europe which could help delay the more severe symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. This drug is currently available in Australia on private prescription. The generic name for this drug is memantine. It is marketed under the name of Ebixa by Lundbeck Australia Pty Ltd.
Date:   Jul 2005
Title:   Research
Publisher:   Alzheimer's Australia
Description:   This help sheet provides an overview of current research into Alzheimer's disease and discusses some of the issues involved in participating research studies.
Date:   Jul 2005
Title:   Treating Alzheimer's Disease and vascular dementia : the use of other therapeutic treatments
Publisher:   Alzheimer's Australia
Description:   This Update Sheet covers alternatives to drug treatments for dementia, including oestrogen, folate, vitamin E and Gingko. It also advises questioning your doctor about any of the listed alternative treatments.
Date:   Sep 2004
Title:   New drugs - Aripiprazole and Memantine
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Some of the views expressed in the following notes on newly approved products should be regarded as tentative, as there may have been little experience in Australia of their safety or efficacy.
Date:   Oct 2003
Title:   2002 - HT and Alzheimer Dementia
Publisher:   The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health
Description:   A recent report published in the JAMA adds further evidence favouring a protective effect of long-term postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) on the risk of developing Alzheimer's Dementia.
Date:   Sep 2003
Title:   Alzheimer's disease
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Alzheimer`s disease is a progressive disease which attacks brain cells. It accounts for between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of all dementia cases.
Date:   Aug 2002
Title:   Alzheimer's disease progression
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   People who have Alzheimer's disease differ in the sorts of problems they have and the speed at which they become worse.
Date:   Mar 2002
Title:   Alzheimer's disease: can it be inherited?
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   About a third of people with Alzheimer's disease have a close relative who has, or has had, dementia.
Date:   Oct 2001
Title:   Guidelines for the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drugs in the treatment of people with Alzheimer's disease
Publisher:   New Zealand Guidelines Group (NZGG)
Description:   Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drugs have been designed to slow the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain and thereby reduce the apparent loss of cholinergic neurotransmitter activity in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
Date:   Feb 2000
Results 1 to 16 displayed.