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Pick's Disease Treatments
There is no established treatment for Pick's disease and it is not curable.[1] It can be managed, however. Speech therapy may help address difficulties in communication during the early stages of the disease. Rewarding positive behavior such as patience and good hygiene through behavior modification is also useful, while regular exercise and getting enough sleep help maximize cognitive performance.
A medication called Memantine (also called Namenda) may be used in hopes of slowing cognitive decline by decreasing the breakdown of a chemical messenger, acetylcholine, in the brain. Other medications including antidepressants and antipsychotics may be used to control aggressive, dangerous or agitated behavior.
Some medicines can cause mental confusion. It may be that a person with Pick's disease will need to stop taking these medicines. Medicines that can cause confusion are:
- Analgesics or painkillers
- Anticholinergics
- Central nervous system (or brain) depressants
- Cimetidine
- Lidocaine
Some conditions can increase confusion and they should be treated. These conditions may include:
- Anemia
- Decreased oxygen called hypoxia
- Heart failure
- Infections
- Certain nutritional disorders
- Thyroid disorders
- Psychiatric disorders such as depression
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