Anti-dementia drugs for Alzheimer disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, leading over time to profound disability. Current pharmacological interventions for AD are limited to three cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine) and the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine, both of which provide modest impact on cognitive and functional outcomes. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of current treatments for Alzheimer’s disease in different stages of dementia. Cholinesterase inhibitors alone, or in combination with memantine, may be beneficial in Alzheimer’s disease depending on the stage of AD. There is evidence for stabilization of cognitive function in AD for 2–5 months after the initiation of anti-dementia drugs, but the efficacy over time is not fully understood.