Anti-dementia drugs

The new generation of anticholinesterase drugs was originally developed to improve memory and the ability to carry out day-to-day living activities.  Recent evidence suggests that they also have beneficial effects on behaviour, especially lack of drive, mood and confidence, delusions and hallucinations.

Taking these medications may therefore reduce the need for other medications.  In higher doses, however, anticholinesterase drugs may gradually increase agitation and produce insomnia with nightmares. Examples are donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl).

Another type of drug, an NMDA receptor antagonist known as memantine (Ebixa), is generally well tolerated and unlikely to cause gastro-intestinal tract side-effects.