Many people fear getting Alzheimer's disease with good reason. Losing the ability to think and perform daily activities can be very frightening and there's nothing people would like more than to find a way to prevent this from happening to them.

A cure has not been discovered, but medical professionals have discovered some developing patterns in people who do not get Alzheimer's. These patterns not only include lifestyle changes but involve the use of different drugs over a period of time.

Research on these drugs is not conclusive and due to the fact that people react differently to different drugs, no drugs or medications should ever be taken without medical consultation. Some of the drugs that are being studied are:

Anti-inflammatory drugs
Aspirin
Ibuprophen
Celebrex
Cholesterol lowering drugs
Cholinesterase inhibitors

These inhibitors do not prevent Alzheimer's but have been used to slow down the disease. They help slow down memory loss and the loss of the ability to learn which are two symptoms of Alzheimer's.

NMDA

This medication is classified as a "receptor antagonist" and slows down mental decline. Patients who took this medication were able to perform daily activities such as dressing and eating longer than patients who didn't take the drug.

There are many pros and cons when dealing with medications. What works for one Alzheimer's patient may cause serious side effects in another. Talk with your doctor about trying different medications while your loved one is being closely observed. Never try medications without the knowledge and consent of a doctor.

Because drugs can have potentially dangerous side effects, many people are opting for alternative treatments of Alzheimer's. Some of the alternative treatments are considered to be memory enhancers such as:

Acupuncture
Acupressure
Counseling
Psychotherapy
Music therapy
Aroma therapy

Some patients are seeing improvement in maintaining and improving their memory by using some of these treatments.

Other alternative treatments include herbal remedies and nutritional supplements. As always, before taking any supplements, be sure and consult with your doctor. Herbal remedies may be natural, but they can have negative interactions with any other medicine that a patient is taking. Your doctor can let you know if it is safe to try these types of treatments.

Every day, new information is being discovered for the prevention and cure of Alzheimer's. Perhaps one day soon, we can be rid of this dreaded disease. In the meantime, trying different treatments may have positive results for you or your loved one.