How is Alzheimer's disease treated?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on June 18, 2025
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Firstly, attention must be paid to pharmacological treatment. In terms of pharmacological therapy, the main treatments include cholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the amount of acetylcholine in the central nervous system and improve the patient’s cognitive level. Glutamate receptor antagonists can also be used, and they have a certain therapeutic effect on moderate to severe dementia. Secondly, patients with dementia may exhibit psychiatric symptoms in the later stages, such as hallucinations. Under a doctor's advice, appropriate amounts of antipsychotic drugs can be used for treatment. Thirdly, medications that protect brain cells and nourish nerves can be administered to the elderly. Additionally, close nursing care is necessary to prevent accidents. (Please undertake medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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At what age does senile dementia usually occur?

It is generally believed that elderly people over the age of 65 are at a significantly increased risk of dementia, and the prevalence is even higher among those over 80. However, there are exceptions, as some individuals may experience cognitive decline around the age of 50, which requires extra attention. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, a typical neurodegenerative disorder where various factors lead to the degeneration and death of neurons. Initially, patients mainly exhibit a decline in short-term memory functions, often mistaken for simple forgetfulness, resulting in a failure to seek diagnosis and treatment.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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symptoms of senile dementia

The symptoms of dementia mainly include the following aspects: First, there is evident impairment in cognitive functions, primarily involving memory decline. Initially, it may predominantly affect recent memory, with patients often forgetting recent events. As the disease progresses, they may start forgetting events from the distant past as well. Additionally, patients may experience a decline in calculation skills, judgment, execution, and comprehension abilities; their capacity to learn and work is comprehensively impaired. Spatial dysfunction can also occur, causing disorientation and frequent episodes of getting lost. Secondly, in the later stages, patients may display changes in behavior and personality, alongside corresponding psychological symptoms. For example, the patient might become aggressive, restless, and exhibit hallucinations visually and auditorily. Wandering at night is another common symptom. Thirdly, in the later stages, patients might show clinical signs such as muscle atrophy and paralysis. Incontinence is also a common symptom.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
1min 9sec home-news-image

Causes of Alzheimer's Disease in the Elderly

The causes of dementia in the elderly are not currently completely clear. Dementia in the elderly is mainly divided into familial and sporadic types. Familial dementia shows autosomal dominant inheritance, which is caused by a gene mutation on chromosome 21 leading to the accumulation of some toxins, resulting in the death of neurons and causing dementia fundamentally due to genetic mutations. However, most cases of dementia are sporadic and do not have a clear family history. The mechanisms and reasons for disease onset are not particularly clear. Some believe that abnormalities in cerebral vascular function may lead to neuronal cell functional disorders, resulting in decreased ability to clear certain cell toxins, thus leading to neuronal apoptosis and death, and consequently impaired cognitive functions. In addition, factors such as oxidative stress, inflammatory mechanisms, excessive fatigue, and emergency stress may also cause cell death. Overall, the causes of dementia in the elderly are not particularly clear.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How is Alzheimer's disease treated?

Firstly, attention must be paid to pharmacological treatment. In terms of pharmacological therapy, the main treatments include cholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the amount of acetylcholine in the central nervous system and improve the patient’s cognitive level. Glutamate receptor antagonists can also be used, and they have a certain therapeutic effect on moderate to severe dementia. Secondly, patients with dementia may exhibit psychiatric symptoms in the later stages, such as hallucinations. Under a doctor's advice, appropriate amounts of antipsychotic drugs can be used for treatment. Thirdly, medications that protect brain cells and nourish nerves can be administered to the elderly. Additionally, close nursing care is necessary to prevent accidents. (Please undertake medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
47sec home-news-image

probability of senile dementia

Dementia primarily refers to Alzheimer's disease, which has a relatively high incidence rate. In China, among the elderly population over 65 years old, approximately 3% to 7% are affected; this rate can rise to over 20% among those over 85 years old. Suffering from dementia places a heavy burden on the patient, their family, and society. Initially, patients with dementia will experience a decline in memory function. As the condition progresses, there will be a decline in various cognitive functions. For example, spatial dysfunction might occur, such as getting lost on the way home, personality changes, and the emergence of psychiatric symptoms and other clinical manifestations.