Dementia is a mental disorder that includes memory impairment and at least
one of the following: difficulty speaking, impaired movement, and inability to
plan and initiate appropriate behaviors socially or at work. Dementia usually
occurs in elderly people. It is rare in children. Approximately 2 to 4 percent
of the population over age 65 has dementia caused by Alzheimer's
disease.
Signs and Symptoms
Memory impairment
Language problems
Motor skills impairment (such as balance and walking)
Impaired ability to recognize objects
Inability to think abstractly
Spatial disorientation (e.g., judging distances)
Depression and suicidal behavior
Uninhibited behavior
Anxiety, mood, and sleep problems
Hallucinations
What Causes It?
Alzheimer's disease accounts for half to two-thirds of all dementia cases.
Other causes of dementia are listed below.
Vascular disease
General medical conditions, like traumatic brain injury
Parkinson's, Huntington's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and other
diseases
Brain tumor
Vitamin B deficiencies
Drug or alcohol abuse, medications, or exposure to toxic
substances
What to Expect at Your Provider's Office
Your health care provider will go over your symptoms and will do a physical
examination. However, since there is no definitive test for dementia, your
provider will rely greatly on interviews with you and your family, especially to
discover noticeable declines in mental and physical
abilities.
Treatment Options
Treatments are aimed at reversing or lessening the symptoms. A combination of
drug and psychiatric or behavioral therapies will be used. Your health care
provider may also closely evaluate current medications if you are elderly and
have dementia, since older people are extremely sensitive to drugs. Exercise,
both physical and mental, can slow the progress of dementia.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Alternative therapies may offer great promise in treating dementia without
the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Treatment with nutrition can provide rapid
results in some people with nutritional deficiencies. Herbal treatment is widely
used in Europe with promising results.
Nutrition
Antioxidants are key—vitamin E (400 to 800
IU per day), vitamin C (1,000 mg three times per day), and coenzyme Q10 (10 to
50 mg three times per day)
Vitamins: biotin (300 mcg); B1 (50 to 100 mg), B2 (50 mg), B6 (50 to
100 mg), B12 (100 to 1,000 mcg). B12 may need to be administered through
injection for best results.
Minerals: calcium and magnesium (1,000 and 500 mg per day,
respectively), zinc (30 to 50 mg per day); excess of manganese and copper can
increase the risk for dementia
Intravenous chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
(EDTA) may help restore normal circulation in the brain.
Essential fatty acids, such as those found in alpha linolenic acid
(ALA) and evening primrose oil, help regulate certain types of blood cells,
stabilize arterial walls and have anti-inflammatory properties. Dietary changes
include reducing intake of animal fats and increasing that of
fish.
Herbs
Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites
(glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise
indicated, teas should be made with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep
covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 to 20 minutes for roots.
Drink 2 to 4 cups per day.
Choose four to six herbs from the most appropriate category and use one cup
or 30 to 60 drops three times per day.
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is specific for preventing and treating
Alzheimer's and senile dementia. May be taken in a standardized extract of 40 to
50 mg three times per day. If you are taking an anticoagulant drug, use ginkgo
only under the supervision of your provider.
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is a circulatory
stimulant.
Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) or American
Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium)increase endurance and improve
cerebral circulation. Use these herbs with caution if you have high blood
pressure.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) reduces spasms and
anxiety.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) helps with general
weakness.
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) helps relieve
depression and anxiety.
Homeopathy
Some of the most common remedies used for dementia are listed below. Usually,
the dose is 3 to 5 pellets of a 12X to 30C remedy every one to four hours until
your symptoms get better.
Alumina for dullness of mind, vagueness, slow answers to
questions
Argentum nitricum for dementia with irritability, especially
with lack of control over impulses
Cicuta for dementia after head injuries, especially with
convulsions
Helleborus for stupefaction, when a person answers questions
slowly and stares vacantly
Silica for mental deterioration with anxiety over small
details
Following Up
Someone with dementia probably will require continuous care and monitoring by
both your health care provider and family members.
Special Considerations
Caregiver and patient education focusing on knowledge of the disease, health,
and the patient's well-being results in better patient care. Caregivers must
also closely monitor patients to make sure they are taking medications
appropriately.
Supporting Research
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association;
1994.
Bartram T. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. Dorset, England: Grace
Publishers; 1995:214, 376.
Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic
Guide to Herbal Medicines. Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine
Communications; 1998:136, 138, 197.
Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C, et al., eds. PDR for Herbal
Medicines. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Co; 1998:967-968, 1101-1102,
1219-1220, 1229-1230.
Hofferberth B. The efficacy of EGb 761 in patients with senile dementia of
the Alzheimer type: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study on different levels
of investigation. Hum Psychopharmacol. 1994;9:215-222.
Kanowski S, Hermann WM, Stephan K, Wierich W, Horr R. Proof of efficacy of
the Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761 in outpatients suffering from mild to
moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's type or multi-infarct dementia.
Pharmacopsychiatry. 1996;29:47-56.
Le Bars, et al. A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial of an
extract of Gingko biloba for dementia. JAMA. 1997;278:1327-1332.
Maurer K, et al. Clinical efficacy of Gingko biloba special extract EGb 761
in dementia of the Alzheimer type. J Psychiatr Res. 1997;31:645-655.
Morrison R. Desktop Guide to Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms.
Albany, Calif: Hahnemann Clinic Publishing; 1993:17-18, 32-33, 124-125,
176-177, 248-249.
Morris JC, ed. Handbook of Dementing Illnesses. New York, NY: Marcel
Dekker Inc; 1994.
National Institutes of Health. Available at http://text.nlm.nih.gov/.
Perry EK, Pickering AT, Wang WW, Houghton P, Perry NS. Medicinal plants and
Alzheimer's disease: integrating ethnobotanical and contemporary scientific
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Rai GS, Shovlin C, Wesnes KA. A double-blind, placebo controlled study of
Ginkgo biloba extract in elderly patients with mild to moderate memory
impairment. Curr Med Res Opin. 1991;12:350-355.
Rakel RE. Conn's Current Therapy 1997: Latest Approved Methods of
Treatment for the Practicing Physician. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders Co;
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Werbach, M. Nutritional Influences on Illness. New Canaan, Conn: Keats
Publishing; 1988:149-154.
Review Date: August 1999
Reviewed By: Participants in the review process include: Dahlia Hirsch, MD, Center for
Holistic Healing, BelAir, MD; R. Lynn Shumake, PD, Director, Alternative
Medicine Apothecary, Blue Mountain Apothecary & Healing Arts, University of
Maryland Medical Center, Glenwood, MD; Leonard Wisneski, MD, FACP, George
Washington University, Rockville, MD; Tom Wolfe, P.AHG, Smile Herb Shop, College
Park, MD.
The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of
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of any of the information contained herein, including any injury and/or damage
to any person or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or
otherwise. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made in regard to the contents
of this material. No claims or endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds
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guide to self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information
provided here with a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or other authorized healthcare
practitioner and to check product information (including package inserts)
regarding dosage, precautions, warnings, interactions, and contraindications
before administering any drug, herb, or supplement discussed
herein.