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
• memantin.

Some people who have PCA and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) may benefit from treatments that can help with movement problems. Levodopa is a drug used to treat 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.

Drug and non-drug treatments may also be offered to help people with symptoms like depression and anxiety. Your doctor may recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT provides an opportunity for people to talk about their worries and concerns with a specialist practitioner. It aims to help people develop different ways of thinking and behaving.

You may be offered an antidepressant drug, either as an alternative to CBT or in combination with it. There are different types, or classes, of antidepressant; some are not suitable for people with dementia. Your doctor will be able to advise you if an antidepressant could help and which type would be best.