Alzheimer's Disease - Pharmaceutical Treatments

This section outlines Smart Drugs that may improve the condition of Alzheimer's Disease patients or may help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

Nervous System

       COX-2 Inhibitors are under investigation as a means of preventing Alzheimer's Disease due to their ability to reduce Inflammation.  ^[1]

      Ibuprofen may help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease by reducing Amyloid-Beta Protein levels.  ^[2]

  

Pharmaceutical Drugs 

Cholinesterase Inhibitors

   Galanthamine (a second generation Cholinesterase Inhibitor that is safer and more effective than Tacrine) (24 - 32 mg per day) is utilized in the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease (due to Acetylcholinesterase inhibiting capabilities):  ^[3]

 Galanthamine may improve the cognitive function of (mild to moderate) Alzheimer's Disease patients.  Galanthamine may improve cognitive performance in 60% of mild to moderately severe Alzheimer's Disease cases within 9 - 10 weeks, and most of these patients continue to exhibit improvement after two years of continued Galanthamine therapy.

 In addition to inhibiting Acetylcholinesterase, Galanthamine may improve the function of Nicotinic Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease patients.

 It should be noted that Galanthamine does not permanently halt the cognitive decline that occurs in Alzheimer's Disease, although it does significantly delay the progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

Hormones

Insulin administered intranasally may temporarily improve Memory in Alzheimer's Disease patients.  ^[4]

 

Metal Protein Attenuating Compounds

       PBT2 may prevent and treat Alzheimer's Disease by rapidly clearing Amyloid-Beta Protein from the Brain.  PBT2 appears to be up to ten times more effective against Alzheimer's Disease compared with Clioquinol.  ^[5]