Are there any new drugs to treat early stage dementia?

Hello Michelle,

Thank you for your question.

Dementia is the term used to describe a group of symptoms such as learning deficit, memory loss, low attention span, impairment of speech and poor problem solving skills. Damage to the nerve cells in the brain, which can occur in several areas of the brain, causes dementia.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of progressive dementia.

Currently, treatment options focus on slowing or minimizing the development of symptoms.

The latest information that I could find was posted on the Journal of Molecular Psychiatry, July 17, 2013.

One promising new approach to early stage dementia involves is a recombinant DNA vaccine composed of multiple specific inhibitory domains of NOIs (neurite outgrowth inhibitors).

Some ongoing clinical research trials, predict a chance for therapy using only neurotrophic factors: the neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF), glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Studies in biochemical and cell cultures or on animal models show the multiple benefits of the natural drug, which is a pig brain extract.

There are some types of dementia that are reversible. Such reversible cases are caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid imbalances, toxic reaction to medication, infections that affect the central nervous system, and depression.

The Alzeimer's Association offers a link to clinical trials. This is the link to trialmatch:
http://www.alz.org/research/clinical_trials/find_clinical_trials_trialma...

I hope this answers your questions.

Regards,
Maryann