I have been diagnosed with dementia

There are no drug treatments that can cure dementia or any other common type of dementia.

However, in the case of Alzheimer’s disease, there are medicines that can slow down the progression of symptoms for a while, in some people.

The main group of medicines prescribed are called cholinesterase inhibitors, and the medicines are called donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine. These drugs are not suitable for the treatment of other types of dementia.

In the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease, there are lower levels of a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine helps to send messages between certain nerve cells. In Alzheimer’s disease some of the nerve cells that use acetylcholine are also lost. Because of these changes in the brain, symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease get worse over time. Donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine all prevent an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase from breaking down acetylcholine. This means there is a higher concentration of acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to better communication between nerve cells. This may ease some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease for a while.

All three work in a similar way, and guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggests that individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease should be offered donepezil first. However, these medicines are only suggested for the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, one medicine might be more suited to someone than another. Your doctor will assess you to decide whether to prescribe a cholinesterase inhibitor, and if so, which might be more suited to you.

There is also another medication licensed for use with Alzheimer’s disease, called memantine. Memantine works differently from donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine. Glutamate is another chemical that helps to send messages between nerve cells in the brain. However, when nerve cells are damaged by Alzheimer’s disease, too much glutamate is produced. This causes more damage to the nerve cells. Memantine protects nerve cells by blocking the effects of too much glutamate.

Medication can be an important part of a person’s treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, but should only be one part of a person’s care. Information and advice, activities, support and treatments that don’t involve drugs are just as important in helping someone to live well with Alzheimer’s disease.