Treatment

If Alzheimer’s disease is causing a person’s PCA they might be offered drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. These drugs work by helping brain cells to communicate with each other. They may help to improve a person’s symptoms for a time, but they do not stop the disease from getting worse. Some people find symptoms improve while taking these drugs, but others may not notice an effect.

There are four types of cholinesterase inhibitors:

• donepezil
• rivastigmine
• galantamine

Another drug called memantine may be prescribed for more severe symptoms, or if cholinesterase inhibitors haven’t worked.

Some people who have PCA caused by dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) may benefit from treatments that can help with movement problems. Levodopa is a drug used to treat both Parkinson’s disease and DLB, and people may also benefit from physiotherapy. Your doctor will be able to discuss these treatments with you if you have DLB and PCA.

Your doctor may also prescribe drug and non-drug treatments to help people with symptoms like depression and anxiety.