Question

Explain how neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease is usually treated. Include information about medication and psychosocial therapies. How would you characterize the success of the currently available treatment options for neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 1

Explain how neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease is usually treated. Include information about medication and psychosocial therapies.

Alzheimer’s has usually been treated only with the help of medications where medications could be available for sleep patterns to behaviour patterns. Some of the most commonly used drugs are the cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. The cholinesterase inhibitors boost cell to cell communication levels as there is supplementation of acetylcholine. Some medicines are aricept, razadyne, or exelon. Memantine works by slowing the progression of the symptoms and may be used in combination with cholinesterase inhibitors. Psychosocial therapies are used as there are changes in behaviour observed. These behavioural changes are anxiety, depression, irritation, or emotional disturbances. Some non drug approaches include in providing coping strategies. The therapist should take care not to be confrontational or identification of triggering factors or contributing factors.

How would you characterize the success of the currently available treatment options for neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer’s disease?

The success of these current approaches have not been profound. The only effect that is observed is in slowing the progression of the condition, though, significant changes have not been observed. Moreover, the therapists do not pay much attention to the non drug approaches, and consider medication administration as the primary approach. Behavioural symptoms can be corrected by proper psychosocial therapies, but, unfortunately there has not been much progress in this area.