Treatment
posterior cortical atrophy
In this section:
While there are currently no specific treatments that can stop or slow down posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), there may be medicines that can help with the symptoms.
For example, if Alzheimer's disease is causing a person's PCA, they might be offered drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors.
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How is PCA treated?
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 three types of cholinesterase inhibitors:
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donepezil (Aricept)
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rivastigmine (Exelon)
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galantamine (Reminyl).
Another drug called memantine may be prescribed for more severe symptoms, or if cholinesterase inhibitors haven’t worked.
New Alzheimer’s treatments lecanemab and donanemab are licensed for use in people with typical, early stage Alzheimer’s. If you would like to find out if they are suitable for you, you can speak with a private provider.
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.
- 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.
Downloads
Dementia information
Find out more about the symptoms and causes of posterior cortical atrophy, and the treatments currently available.
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PDF, 1,317 KB, 13 pages
Read more about treatments for dementia, including information on treating depression, anxiety and agitation and for information on antipsychotics.
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PDF, 5.82 MB, 15 pages
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This information was updated in April 2025 and is due to be reviewed in April 2027. It was written by Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team with input from lay and expert reviewers. Please get in touch if you’d like a version with references or in a different format.
This information is produced with support from The Perfume Shop who had no input into the content.
