Posts Tagged ‘Alzheimers disease’

Memantine is the first and a novel class of Alzheimer’s disease medications

Saturday, September 6th, 2008
Memantine is the first and a novel class of Alzheimer’s disease medications acting on the glutamatergic system by blocking NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid) glutamate receptors. Memantine was first synthesized and patented by Eli Lilly and Company in 1968. Memantine is available under the brands Axura and Akatinol by Merz, Namenda by Forest , Ebixa and Abixa by Lundbeck and Memox by Unipharm.

Although memantine is approved for treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease its usage has been not advised by UK’s National Institute for Clinical Excellence, on the grounds that its high cost outweighs the benefits of treatment in most patients. Memantine has been associated with a moderate decrease in clinical deterioration in Alzheimer’s disease. A systematic review of randomised controlled trials found that memantine has a small positive effect on cognition, mood, behaviour, and the ability to perform daily activities in moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease, but an unknown effect in mild to moderate disease.

banner6a Memantine is the first and a novel class of Alzheimers disease medications

Tacrine brand name Cognex approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Saturday, September 6th, 2008
Tacrine is a parasympathomimetic and a centrally acting cholinesterase inhibitor. It was the first centrally-acting cholinesterase inhibitor approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and was marketed under the brand name Cognex. The use of tacrine is limited by poor oral bioavailability, the necessity for four-times daily dosing, and considerable adverse drug reactions (including nausea, diarrhea, urinary incontinence and hepatotoxicity) such that few patients could tolerate therapeutic doses. Other newer cholinesterase inhibitors, such as donepezil, are now preferred over tacrine.

Dimebolin Hydrochloride - brand name Dimebon is an antihistamine drug. Recently dimebolin has attracted interest after being shown to have positive effects on persons suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary results from human trials have also been promising. In an initial six-month phase trial, results have shown that at 12 months there was significant improvement over placebo. Dimebolin showed promising results in a Phase III-equivalent double blind trial in Russia with mild-moderate stage patients. Dimebolin is an orally active small molecule that has been shown to inhibit brain cell death in preclinical studies of Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease, making it a potential treatment for these and other neurodegenerative diseases. Research suggests that it may also have cognition-enhancing effects in healthy individuals.
banner6a Tacrine brand name Cognex approved for the treatment of Alzheimers disease

Rivastigmine - Exelon for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease

Saturday, September 6th, 2008
Rivastigmine brand name Exelon is a parasympathomimetic or cholinergic developed by Novartis for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. It became the first product approved globally for the treatment of mild to moderate AD. Rivastigmine has been available in capsule and liquid formulations since 1997 and from 2007 the rivastigmine transdermal patch became the first patch treatment for dementia and Alzheimer’s Disaese. Rivastigmine is a cholinesterase inhibitor that inhibits both butyryl cholinesterase and acetyl cholinesterase. Donepezil the other drug for treating dementia is selective for acetylcholinesterase. It is thought that rivastigmine works by inhibiting these cholinesterase enzymes, which would otherwise break down the brain chemical acetylcholine.

The US FDA has approved rivastigmine capsules and patch for the treatment of mild to moderate dementias related to both Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. It has is now used in more than 6 million patients world-wide. Rivastigmine has is very effective in improving the cognitive (thinking and memory), functional (activities of daily living) and behavioral problems that are commonly associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease dementias.

In patients with either type of dementia, rivastigmine has been shown to provide meaningful symptomatic effects that may allow patients to remain independent for longer. In particular, rivastigmine appears to show marked treatment effects in patients showing a more course of aggressive disease, such as those with a younger age of onset, a poor nutritional status, or those experiencing symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations. Those Alzheimer’ patients who have the presence of hallucinations appears to benefit more from rivastigmine. It has been proposed that these effects might reflect the additional inhibition of butyryl cholinesterase, which is implicated in symptom progression and might provide added benefits over acetyl cholinesterase-selective drugs in some patients.
banner6a Rivastigmine - Exelon for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimers disease

Ashwaghanda for Alzheimers: Ashwagandha improves cognition in Alzheimer’s

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Many initiatives to prevent or delay the onset of AD have had contradictory results. Diet do seem to have some impact in preventing/delaying Alzheimer’s Disease. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, bread, wheat and other cereals, olive oil, fish, and red wine, may all individually or together reduce the risk and course of Alzheimer’s disease. Many vitamins such as B12, B3, C or folic acid have appeared to be related to a reduced risk of AD. Curcumin/Turmeric in curry has shown some effectiveness in preventing brain damage in mouse models. Curry is regularly a part of diet in India. Elderly people of rural India, who eat large amounts of curry, appear to have the lowest incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the world around 5 times lower than that of Americans.

Ginkgo is widely used in Europe for treating Alzheimer’s disease. It improves blood flow to the brain and has good antioxidant properties. There is evidence that ginkgo may improve thinking, learning, and memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease. One herb known as Ashwagandha (Botanical name Withania Somnifera) seems to have certain preventive and cognition improving effect on Alzheimer’s patients. Ashwagandha (Botanical name: Withania Somnifera) is a medicinal plant used in India to treat a wide range of age-related disorders. Its most remarkable effect may involve its ability to preserve the health of the aging brain. Research indicates that ashwagandha extract is capable of halting and even repairing damage to brain cells in an experimentally induced model of Alzheimer’s disease. In laboratory experiments in Japan 2004 and in earlier in Germany, researchers discovered that ashwagandha root extract inhibits acetyl cholinesterase in much the same way as the prescription drug donepezil, which is currently used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

 

banner6a Ashwaghanda for Alzheimers: Ashwagandha improves cognition in Alzheimers  
  
 

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Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that inevitably happens in later life

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Although scientists are learning more every day, right now they still do not know what causes AD, and there is no cure. There is no cure for AD and no way to slow the progression of the disease. For some people in the early or middle stages of AD, medication such as tacrine (Cognex) may alleviate some cognitive symptoms. Donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Reminyl) may keep some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. A fifth drug, memantine (Namenda), was recently approved for use in the United States. Combining memantine with other. The likelihood of having Alzheimer’s disease increases substantially after the age of 70 and may affect around 50% of persons over the age of 85. Nonetheless, Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that inevitably happens in later life. For example, many people live to over 100 years of age and never develop Alzheimer’s disease. AD drugs may be more effective than any single therapy. One controlled clinical trial found that patients receiving donepezil plus memantine had better cognition and other functions than patients receiving donepezil alone.

Alzheimer’s disease affects a person’s cognitive, emotional, behavioral and physical functions increasingly over time, causing many people with the disease to eventually require full time care. Caregivers often devote a majority or all or of their spare time to helping their loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

Full-time Alzheimer’s caregivers can benefit from periodic relief from care giving duties, giving them time to nurture other relationships and return to caring for their loved one with a refreshed mindset. Caregivers can benefit from seeking assistance, either on regular intervals or as needed, from one of the following sources: Other relatives or loved ones. Other friends or family members may be willing to assume care giving responsibilities at times, particularly if they already have a close relationship with the person.

Sharing care giving responsibilities with a close friend or relative allows them to spend quality time with their loved one and gives the primary caregiver free time to fulfill unrelated needs and responsibilities. Respite Care. Respite care is professional daytime or overnight care that may be offered by a full time Alzheimer’s care home in your area. Respite care can give caregivers the comfort of knowing that their loved one is in the care of professionals who specialize in the unique needs of people with Alzheimer’s, and can give their loved one the opportunity to socialize and participate in rewarding activities. Respite care not only gives full time caregivers a break, it also gives them a chance to become familiar with a professional care home that may make a viable option for full time care for their loved one in the future. In home professional care. Another option is to hire a professional caregiver who provides in home care service.

A professional caregiver can be a convenient option, particularly for caregivers whose loved one with Alzheimer’s lives with them in their home. For some Alzheimer’s patients, remaining in a consistent environment is comforting and the most suitable temporary care option for their needs. Care giving takes on a variety of connotations for different people, ranging from occasional help to full time supervision and assistance. Caregivers closer to the full time end of the spectrum sometimes inadvertently neglect their own needs when they are consumed with caring for the daily life of a loved one, making an occasional break from care giving important for their well being and health. The appropriate short term care option for a person with Alzheimer’s depends heavily on his or her individual needs
banner6a Alzheimers disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that inevitably happens in later life 
 

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Alzheimer’s Disease can begin many years before it is eventually diagnosed

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Alzheimer’s Disease can begin many years before it is eventually diagnosed. In its early stages, short-term memory loss is the most common symptom, often initially thought to be caused by aging or stress by the sufferer. Later symptoms include confusion, anger, mood swings, language breakdown, long-term memory loss, and the general withdrawal of the sufferer as his or her senses decline. Gradually the sufferer loses minor, and then major bodily functions, until death occurs. Although the symptoms are common, each individual experiences the symptoms in unique ways. The duration of the disease is estimated as being between 5 and 20 years. More than 4.5 million Americans are believed to have Alzheimer’s disease and by 2050, the number could increase to 13.2 million. Approximately 65,800 victims die and 350,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease are diagnosed each year. America is not alone in dealing with this terrible affliction. In every nation where life expectancy has increased, so has the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is becoming tragically common.

It is estimated that there are currently 50 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease. This figure is projected to grow to more than 160 million people by 2050. The first sign of Alzheimer disease is a continuous pattern of forgetting things. This starts to affect a person’s daily life. He or she may forget where the grocery store is or the names of family and friends. This stage of the disease may last for some time or quickly progress, causing memory loss and forgetfulness to get worse. Although some kinds of memory loss are normal parts of aging, the changes due to aging are not severe enough to interfere with the level of function. Many different diseases can cause dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease is by far the most common cause for dementia in the United States and in most countries in the world.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive and unfortunately fatal brain disease for which there is no cure. It destroys brain cells causing loss of memory, mainly short term loss. In addition to memory loss Alzheimer’s causes thinking and behavior problems that can become serious enough to effect your work, your social life, and the ability to accomplish simple everyday tasks such as personal grooming, preparing meals, household chores and many other things. As the disease progresses you could even forget how to do these things altogether
banner6a Alzheimers Disease can begin many years before it is eventually diagnosed 
 

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There is no known way to prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease

Tuesday, August 19th, 2008

Program to fund research and educate the public about Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s disease affects an estimated 1 in 10 people over age 65.  There is no known way to prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease, but meantime, a drug that is newly available in the US, can help stop its progression.  Information on this disease including nutrient, lifestyle, and medical options and precautions.  Frequently asked questions on prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease; Menopause related memory loss.  Information for caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s disease.  Devoted to remembering those who suffer from this debilitating disease, and a place where caregivers can remember the stories that make their loved one special.  A new analysis may help detect the earliest signs of cell damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease.  This ailment is the most common and important cause of senile dementia.  A review of Alzheimer’s disease with particular reference to Pin1 protein.  This ailment impairs the brain’s intellectual functions (memory, orientation, calculation), but at first, largely spares those parts of the brain that control sensation and movement. 

Study Finds Common Anesthetic may induce cell death and generation of disease-related protein.  Toxic protein build up can lead to disease.  Brain Receptor May Play Role in Alzheimer’s Defects in astrocyte formation could contribute to disease.  Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease shows visual images of the degeneration of brain tissue from normal individuals to first, second, and third stage Alzheimers patients.  Besides This ailment, some other types or causes of dementia include: alcoholic dementia, depression, delirium, HIV/AIDS-related dementia, Huntington’s disease (a disorder of the nervous system), inflammatory disease (for example, syphilis), vascular dementia(blood vessel disease in the brain), tumors, and Parkinson’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.  Delirium can occur in older persons who have short-term illnesses, heart or lung disease, long-term infections, poor nutrition, or hormone disorders.  In Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, problems with memory, judgment, and thought processes make it hard for a person to work and take part in day-to-day family and social life.  Of these individuals, as many as two-thirds have Alzheimer’s disease.  Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease at this time, it may be possible to relieve some of the symptoms, such as wandering and incontinence.  Talk to your doctor as soon as possible if you think you or a family member may have signs of Alzheimer’s disease.  Research is under way to find better ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease.  The chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease increase with age. 

banner6a There is no known way to prevent or cure Alzheimers disease 
  
 

There are only two definite factors that increase the risk for this ailment:a family history of dementia and Down syndrome.  If Alzheimer’s disease has occurred in your family members, other members are more likely to develop it.  Persons with Down syndrome have a higher chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease.  The classic sign of early Alzheimer’s disease is gradual loss of short-term memory.  Symptoms appear gradually in persons with Alzheimer’s disease but may progress more slowly in some persons than in others.  If you have some of these signs, this does not mean you have Alzheimer’s disease.  Just because you can’t recall where you put the car keys doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s disease.  Identifying mild cases of Alzheimer’s diseasecan be very difficult. 

banner6a There is no known way to prevent or cure Alzheimers disease