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Understanding Alzheimer's Disease and Medications for Treatment

Learn about Alzheimer's disease, its history, causes, and approved medications like Aricept, Razadyne, Exelon, and Namenda. Explore the limitations, future treatments, and citations for further reading.

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Understanding Alzheimer's Disease and Medications for Treatment

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  1. Alzheimer’s and Medications used to treat it Katherine Noonan BME 281

  2. What is Alzheimer’s? • Brain cells degenerate and die • Causes progressive loss of intellectual and social skills and interferes with day to day life • Also a steady decline in memory and mental function • Normally occurs in older people • Caused by beta-amyloid clumps preventing cell to cell communication • Caused by tangles of tau protein therefore disrupting the transport system

  3. Brief History • 1906- German doctor Alois Alzheimer identified the disease • 1960’s- link between cognitive decline and the number of plaques and tangles in the brain • 1970’s- Alzheimer’s came out as a significant area of research • Aricept FDA approved in 1996 • Razadyne FDA approved in 2001 • Exelon FDA approved in 2000 • Namenda FDA approved in October, 2003

  4. Medications • Aricept (Donepezil)- Cholinesterase inhibitor, prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain, improves mental function • Razadyne (Galantamine)- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, prevents breakdown of acetylcholine and stimulates nicotinic receptors to release more acetylcholine in the brain, improves memory and thought processes • Exelon (Rivastigmine)- Cholinesterase inhinitor, prevents breakdown of acetylcholine and butyrylcholine in the brain improves mental function. Also used to treat dementia in Parkinson’s patients • Namenda (Memantine)- NMDA receptor antagonists, protects the brain's nerve cells against excess amounts of glutamate, a messenger chemical released in large amounts by cells damaged by Alzheimer's

  5. Limitations • There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, these drugs only treat symptoms and help slow the degradation of brain cells • Alzheimer’s patients are also instructed to take multiple medications for mood swings, anxiety, depression, etc. • Multiple side effects for each drug

  6. Future • Vaccinations: a new study showed that injecting the patient with beta-amyloid can produce antibodies against the protein reducing the acclamation • Inhibiting drugs that prevent an enzyme from producing amyloid protein, called PBT2, without interfering with the enzymes other functions

  7. Citations • http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/history.html • http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/treatment/common/ • http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION=causes • Pubmed health: • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001006/ • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001066/ • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000190/ • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000250/

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