Treatment depends on the type of dementia. For reversible dementias caused by nutritient deficiencies, metabolic imbalances, infections, or medications, treatment involves correcting the underlying problem. Dementia caused by neural cell death is usually irreversible (such as in Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia. frontotemporal dementia, or other degenerative neurological diseases) but treatment can help prevent or delay further cognitive declines. Drug treatments include:

• Cholinesterase inhibitors: These increase the levels of a brain messenger involved in memory called acetylcholine. Examples include donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), tacrine (Cognex), and galantamine (Reminyl).
• Glutamate antagonists: These are a new class of drugs that can help keep brain cells from dying. Memantine (Namenda) is the only drug in this class so far that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There are also treatments available for the behavioral symptoms and sleeping problems often associated with dementia. Ask your doctor about these if you want to find out more.