The drug, lecanemab, which was recently granted accelerated approval in the United States, is an antibody that has been shown to remove sticky deposits of a protein called amyloid beta from the brains of patients in the early stages of the mind-wasting disease.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted accelerated approval to a new Alzheimer's treatment called lecanemab, which has been shown to moderately slow cognitive and functional decline in early-stage cases of the disease.
The new Alzheimer's drug in perspective
Effective treatment will require a combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action. We're not there yet, but that's what the future looks like. Lecanemab is a major step toward that future. It's “a new approach that offers some real benefit to patients.
Lecanemab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for early Alzheimer's disease in January 2023. This means that it can now be given to patients with early Alzheimer's disease in the USA.
A clinical trial of donanemab has showed the drug significantly slows cognitive and functional decline in people with early symptomatic disease. It is estimated that almost 400,000 people in Australia had dementia in 2022.
Cholinisterase Inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed medications for dementia. There are 3 cholinisterase inhibitors, which include, Donepezil, Galantamine and Rivastigmine.
Treatment for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease
Three drugs used to treat AD are all in one family, called cholinesterase inhibitors, which boost brain levels of acetylcholine: Galantamine (Razadyne®) Rivastigmine (Exelon®) Donepezil (Aricept®)
What are the foods that fight memory loss? Berries, fish, and leafy green vegetables are 3 of the best foods that fight memory loss. There's a mountain of evidence showing they support and protect brain health.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
Cholinesterase inhibitors are the first choice of treatment for memory loss. The doctor may also prescribe the single-dose drug combination Namzeric to treat moderate to severe memory loss.
Donepezil (also known as Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl) are used to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Donepezil is also used to treat more severe Alzheimer's disease.
The main sign of mild cognitive impairment is a slight decline in mental abilities. Examples include: Memory loss: You may forget recent events or repeat the same questions and stories. You may occasionally forget the names of friends and family members or forget appointments or planned events.
Dementia vs. Alzheimer's Disease: What is the Difference? Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life, while Alzheimer's is a specific disease. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia.
Ice cream brings people with dementia to happier, warmer times when the treat was shared with friends and loved ones at special, joyous occa- sions. Ice cream has the power to immediately elicit soothing feelings at the very first taste of a single spoon-full.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals found in bananas help preserve nerve tissue against neurotoxins, which deteriorate nervous tissue when exposed to its substance. This may also help in preventing neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
The average life expectancy figures for the most common types of dementia are as follows: Alzheimer's disease – around eight to 10 years. Life expectancy is less if the person is diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years.
Many people affected by dementia are concerned that they may inherit or pass on dementia. The majority of dementia is not inherited by children and grandchildren. In rarer types of dementia there may be a strong genetic link, but these are only a tiny proportion of overall cases of dementia.
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's, research shows treatments and activities that stimulate the senses may improve behavior and mood, including decreased agitation. Activities such as art, singing or listening to music fight boredom and may help trigger past memories.
A medication known as memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, can be prescribed to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's. This drug's main effect is to decrease symptoms, which could enable some people to maintain certain daily functions a little longer than they would without the medication.
Donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine can be prescribed for people with early- to mid-stage Alzheimer's disease. The latest guidelines recommend that these medicines should be continued in the later, severe, stages of the disease.
The longest stage of Alzheimer's disease is the middle stage, also known as moderate Alzheimer's disease. This stage can last for several years, and it is characterized by a decline in cognitive function, memory loss, and changes in behavior and personality.