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What Is The Best Medicine For Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Mild cognitive impairment is the condition with a mild decline in cognitive functions. These cognitive functions include memory, learning, thinking and decision-making skills.[1] The condition can be managed by following various treatment options.

What Is The Best Medicine For Mild Cognitive Impairment?

What Is The Best Medicine For Mild Cognitive Impairment?

There is no single best medicine or treatment for patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment. The treatment depends upon the type of mild cognitive impairment and the severity of it. Mild cognitive impairment can affect the memory or may affect the cognitive features other than memory. The former is known as amnestic mild cognitive impairment while the latter is termed as non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment.[2] The patient with low memory is treated with Alzheimer’s drugs for a short period of time.

The treatment is generally directed to manage the symptoms and delay the progression of the disease.

Further, mild cognitive impairment is the condition that can be reversed or can be continued at the same level.[3] The treatment and management strategy for the condition is the combined effort of various treatment options. This includes taking good sleep, managing other health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. Further, taking a healthy diet and incorporating antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids is also helpful for managing mild cognitive impairment.

Mild Cognitive Impairment Treatment

Treatment is generally done to slow the progression of the disease. Progression of the disease may result in dementia as well as the patients with mild cognitive impairment are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment is also directed to reverse the condition of mild cognitive impairment by treating the cause of the disease. Although there is no approved treatment for the management of mild cognitive impairment, various medications are prescribed to manage the symptoms of the disease.[4] Following are the treatment options available to the patient suffering from mild cognitive impairment:

  1. Alzheimer’s Medicines. The symptoms of amnestic mild cognitive impairment progress to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, physicians sometimes prescribe drugs used for treating Alzheimer’s disease to the patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment. The drug generally used is cholinesterase inhibitor which is used to improve the memory of the patients.[5] However, prolonged use of such drugs in this indication is not recommended.
  2. Treating Hypertension. Mild cognitive impairment is also characterized by abnormal blood vessels which results in high blood pressure.[6] Further, the blood flow in such patients gets reduced due to atherosclerosis. Thus, proper treatment should be done to manage hypertension and to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood as this may cause the progression of the disease to more severe form.
  3. Managing Diabetes. In diabetes, the brain cells become resistant to insulin.[7] Insulin is the hormone required to help the entry of sugar inside the cells. In insulin resistance condition, cells do not take insulin leading to reduced neuronal activity. Thus, to improve and manage the condition of mild cognitive impairment, diabetes should be properly managed and insulin resistance should also be treated.
  4. Managing Emotional Health. Depression and anxiety are the most common cause for mild cognitive impairment.[8] Various management options should be provided to the patient for balancing emotional health. Further, the stress level should also be reduced by performing meditation and yoga.
  5. Supplements. As the age increases, some patient gets more prone to free radical damage as the free radical scavenging capacity of the body gets reduced. These free radicals initiate a cascade of events damaging the neurons. This also adds on to cause mild cognitive impairment. Thus, various supplements containing antioxidants are recommended to such patients. Antioxidants include Coenzyme Q10, astaxanthin, resveratrol and lycopene. Further omega-3 fatty acids are also good for brain health.[9]
  6. Treating Insomnia. Sleepless nights increase the free radicals as well as enhance the stress levels. Thus, the patient should take good sleep to reduce the symptoms of mild cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

There is no approved treatment for mild cognitive impairment. However, the currently used methods include short term prescription of Alzheimer’s drugs, managing other health conditions, take a healthy diet and good sleep.

References:

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:July 29, 2022

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