It targets and reduces amyloid plaques and tau proteins. Other research is looking at how effective lecanemab may be for people at risk of Alzheimer's disease, including people who have a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, with the disease.Īnother medicine being studied is donanemab. More research is being done on the potential risks of taking lecanemab. Blood-thinning medicines may increase the risk of bleeds in the brain. If you take a blood thinner or have other risk factors for brain bleeding, talk to your health care professional before taking lecanemab. The FDA recommends being tested for this gene before starting treatment with lecanemab. People who carry a certain form of a gene known as APOE e4 appear to have a higher risk of these serious complications. It also recommends being monitored with brain MRIs during treatment for symptoms of brain swelling or bleeding. The FDA recommends getting a brain MRI before starting treatment. Also in rare instances, bleeding in the brain can cause death. Rarely, brain swelling can be serious enough to cause seizures and other symptoms. Side effects of lecanemab include infusion-related reactions such as fever, flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, changes in heart rate and shortness of breath.Īlso, people taking lecanemab may have swelling in the brain or may get small bleeds in the brain. Lecanemab is given as an IV infusion every two weeks. The phase 3 trial was the largest so far to study whether clearing clumps of amyloid plaques from the brain can slow the disease. The medicine prevents amyloid plaques in the brain from clumping. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lecanemab (Leqembi) for people with mild Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.Ī phase 3 clinical trial found that the medicine slowed cognitive decline in people with early Alzheimer's disease. You may need treatment for depression, sleep problems, hallucinations, parkinsonism or agitation. You might take other medicines to treat symptoms or other conditions. Memantine is sometimes prescribed with a cholinesterase inhibitor.Ī common side effect of memantine is dizziness. Glutamate is another chemical messenger involved in brain functions such as learning and memory. Memantine (Namenda) works by regulating the activity of glutamate. Other possible side effects include slowed heart rate, fainting and sleep problems. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. They might be prescribed for people with vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease dementia and Lewy body dementia. They include donepezil (Aricept, Adlarity), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Razadyne ER).Īlthough primarily used to treat Alzheimer's disease, these medicines also might be prescribed for other dementias. These medicines work by boosting levels of a chemical messenger involved in memory and judgment. The following are used to temporarily improve dementia symptoms.Ĭholinesterase inhibitors. Most types of dementia can't be cured, but there are ways to manage your symptoms. Psychiatric evaluationĪ mental health professional can determine whether depression or another mental health condition is contributing to your symptoms. Sometimes the spinal fluid is examined for infection, for inflammation or for markers of some degenerative diseases. Simple blood tests can detect physical problems that can affect brain function, such as too little vitamin B-12 in the body or an underactive thyroid gland. They can determine whether amyloid or tau protein, hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, have been deposited in the brain. These scans can show patterns of brain activity. These scans can check for evidence of stroke, bleeding, tumor or fluid buildup, known as hydrocephalus. Your memory, language skills, visual perception, attention, problem-solving skills, movement, senses, balance, reflexes and other areas are evaluated. A number of tests measure thinking skills, such as memory, orientation, reasoning and judgment, language skills, and attention. These tests evaluate your thinking ability. You'll likely need a number of tests that can help pinpoint the problem. Someone who is close to you may be asked about your symptoms as well. A health care professional reviews your medical history and symptoms and conducts a physical exam.
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