15 years of dementia treatment in 15 papers: an online themed collection in A&A

Elizabeta Mukaetova-Ladinska is Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Leicester University and an Associate Editor at Age and Ageing journal. She has curated this free collection of papers on the theme of treatments in dementia.

Age and Ageing journal is delighted to be able to publish this free online collection of 15 papers to provide an update on the advances of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in dementia over the last 15 years. The published studies reflect the efficacy of the current anti-dementia treatments, preventive treatments of cardio and cerebrovascular incidents (known to be risk factors for dementia), alongside the use of antidepressant medication and non-pharmacological interventions for treatment of behavioural and psychopathological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). We also address the future preventative steps and therapeutic strategies currently in development to combat the devastating consequences of dementia.

This overview briefly summarises the major advances in dementia therapeutics to date as followed in Age and Ageing. But what will the following 35 years bring in dementia research? Will they utilise the technological advances of the 21^st century and produce a cure for dementia? Are we facing a dementia-free future? And  if so, when? Will the novel anti-dementia treatments be able to ‘dissolve’ the plaques and tangles, and completely reverse the dementia process? Will they also help with the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)? Will lifestyle-based approaches modify or even stop the dementia ‘time-bomb’? What will personalised dementia care look like? Are we going to witness globalisation of dementia ‘intelligent homes’ for independent living? These are just a handful of the futuristic expectations for both professionals and people with dementia and their carers.

Join the discussion about these papers, and about what the future holds for dementia care, via the comments section of this blog or via the @gerisoc Twitter account. 

The Collection

These papers are all free to read, download and share from the Age and Ageing journal website. The full collection can be viewed here, or individual papers accessed below.

Currently available anti-dementia treatments

• The effect of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in comparison to placebo in the progression of dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Jones HE, Joshi A, Shenkin S, Mead GE. Age Ageing 2016;45(4):448-456.
• Long-term cognitive and functional decline in late onset Alzheimer’s disease: therapeutic implications. Holmes C, Lovestone Age Ageing 2003;32(2):200-4.
• Evolution of the evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine for Alzheimer’s disease: systematic review and economic model. Hyde C, Peters J, Bond M, et al. Age Ageing 2013;42(1):14-20.
• Associations of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor treatment with reduced mortality in Alzheimer’s disease: a retrospective survival analysis. Mueller C, Perera G, Hayes RD, Shetty H, Stewart R. Age Ageing. 2017:1-7. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afx098.
• Comparative analysis of mortality in patients with Alzheimer’s disease treated with donepezil or galantamine. López-Pousa S, Olmo JG, Franch JV, et al. Age Ageing 2006;35(4):365-71.
• Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer’s disease: anti-inflammatories in acetylcholine clothing! Tabet N. Age Ageing 2006;35(4):336-8.
• Observational cohort study: deprivation and access to anti-dementia drugs in the UK. Cooper C, Lodwick R, Walters K, et al. Age Ageing 2016;45(1):148-54.
• Efficacy and safety of a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor octohydroaminoacridine in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease: a Phase II multicenter randomised controlled trial. Xiao S, Wang T, Ma X, et al. Age Ageing 2017;46(5):767-773.

Non-pharmacological interventions

• Sauna bathing is inversely associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged Finnish men. Laukkanen T, Kunutsor S, Kauhanen J, Laukkanen JA. Age Ageing 2017;46(2):245-249.
• Lower risk of incident dementia among Chinese older adults having three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits a day. Lee ATC, Richards M, Chan WC, Chiu HFK, Lee RSY, Lam LCW Age Ageing 2017;46(5):773-779.
• The use of non-pharmacological interventions for dementia behaviours in care homes: findings from four in-depth, ethnographic case studies. Backhouse T, Killett A, Penhale B, Gray R. Age Ageing 2016;45(6):856-863.

Management of vascular risk factors for dementia

• New horizons: the management of hypertension in people with dementia. Harrison JK, Van Der Wardt V, Conroy SP, et al. Age Ageing 2016;45(6):740-746.
• Thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation and association with cognitive decline: systematic review. Moffitt P, Lane DA, Park H, O’Connell J, Quinn TJ. Age Ageing 2016;45(6):767-775.

Drug use in people with dementia

• The burden of psychotropic drug prescribing in people with dementia: a population database study. Guthrie B, Clark SA, McCowan C. Age Ageing 2010;39(5):637-42.
• Drug use in persons with and without Alzheimer’s disease aged 90 years or more. Taipale H, Koponen M, Tanskanen A, Tolppanen AM, Tiihonen J, Hartikainen S. Age Ageing 2016;45(6):900-904.