The term dementia covers a range of conditions that afflict the elderly mostly Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia (stroke). These conditions produce progressive impairments in thought, memory, language, living skills and other behaviours. The symptoms profoundly affect the patient’s quality of life and cause increasing difficulty and distress to caregivers.

In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, we find significant changes taking place in the brain at the molecular level early in the disease: oxidative damage and the formation of tau proteins; Aβ proteins clumping together to form plaques; the formation of neurofibrillary tangles; and chronic inflammation. Critical metabolic processes are disrupted resulting in nerve damage, atrophy and loss. Early loss affects neurons responsible for reasoning, language and social behaviour (entorhinal cortex, hippocampus), then spreads to other areas incapacitating the patient.¹

Vascular dementia results from a reduced blood supply to the brain due to arteriosclerosis, plaque, high blood pressure and stroke. These are all problems which accompany a sedentary, lifestyle, stress, smoking, and the modern urban diet.

Treatment:

General

Treatment is aimed at slowing the decline, ameliorating symptoms and keeping the patient out of a nursing home as long as possible. While conventional medicine relies on cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, and drugs for treating accompanying mood disorders, they do not halt progression. Other approaches can be efficacious such as an improvement in diet, the use of supplements, herbal medicine and homeopathy. Regular exercise as well as any attempt to maintain social involvement are important.

Diet

A wholefood diet provides many nutrients protective of the central nervous system, and the vasculature which delivers them to the brain. We should avoid ultra-processed convenience foods and model our diet on traditional diets known to slow the onset of dementia as well as promote longevity. The Mediterranean or Okinawan diet were rich in vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and fatty acids in the period before margarine, white bread, high-fructose corn syrup and other industrial innovations were introduced globally.

Supplements are useful: vitamins A, B, C, and E, iron, zinc, omega-3 fats are all well-researched. Avoid trans fats, refined sugars and fluoride. Useful herbs include turmeric, cinnamon and green tea which points to a nutrient-dense wholefood approach. ^2,3

Use Hair Mineral Analysis to test for excess copper and heavy metals. Aluminium, which comes from the water supply, cooking pots, antiperspirants, baking powder and table salt, has a strong affinity for the tau protein at the heart of neurofiblliary tangles and must be excluded.⁴

Moderate coffee, tea, alcohol consumption may be protective.

Herbs

For treatment in circulatory system disorders we always think of garlic, hawthorn, rosemary, bacopa and green tea.

Ginkgo—this herb has several neuroprotective effects including antioxidant, anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-apoptotic activity, as well as protecting against neurotoxicity caused by plaque aggregation, and tau protein phosphorylation.¹ Ginkgo extract (EGB 761) has been shown to be significantly better than placebo in reducing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.⁵

Bacopa—nerve tonic, cognitive enhancer, anti-inflammatory.

Cinnamon—inhibits tau protein formation, inhibits αβ aggregation, anti-inflammatory.

Gotu cola—neuroprotective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, inhibits acetylcholinesterase.⁶

Green tea—antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, inhibits amyloid-β.

Hawthorn—heart tonic, plaque dissolver, lowers blood pressure.

Oat seed—nervous system tonic.

Rosemary—cognitive enhancer.

Turmeric—antioxidant, anti-inflammatory.

Withania—nerve tonic, stress adaptogen, inhibits plague formation.⁷

Tissue Salts

Kali-phos—support brain function generally; prophylactic when there are no pronounced symptoms except marked tiredness of mind and body.

Mag-phos—antispasmodic, high blood pressure.

Homeopathy

Alumina—absentminded, loss of memory, confusion of identity, slow in answering, gets lost in familiar places; severe constipation, dry skin, heaviness of limbs, progressive paralysis.

Anacardium—forgetful, retains nothing, fails to recognise familiar people. Irritable, easily offended, shouts. Weakness, wants to lie or sit, trembling on exertion.

Arsenicum—restless and marked anxiety, paces about, worries about money, panicky, selfish, miserly; fears illness, death.

Baryta-c—forgetful, difficult communication, forgets words and what is said, or what has recently been done. Childish, timid, wining, irresolute, worries over trifles.

Cannabis-i—fogginess of mind, marked forgetfulness during speech or writing; loses the thread of conversation, can’t focus.

Conium—poor memory particularly of dates, confusion, minds feels dull or numb; irritable or indifferent; depressed but worse sympathy, timid but fearful when alone; makes useless purchases.

Hyos—Marked loss of memory, confusion; touching, loss of sexual inhibition, jealous, suspicious, agitated, paranoid; wants to escape.

Ignatia—poor memory, sudden mood swings, nervous, irritable.

Lycopodium—premature senility, looks old, early symptoms of dementia; with disordered digestion, gas, bloating.

Disclaimer: this article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Sharma A, Kumar Y. Nature’s Derivative(s) as Alternative Anti-Alzheimer’s Disease Treatments. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2019;3:279–97.

2.         Hu N, Yu J-T, Tan L, Wang Y-L, Sun L, Tan L. Nutrition and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Biomed Res Int 2013;2013:524820.

3.         Goschorska M, Baranowska-Bosiacka I, Gutowska I, Metryka E, Skórka-Majewicz M, Chlubek D. Potential Role of Fluoride in the Etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2018;19.

4.         Frisardi V, Solfrizzi V, Capurso C, et al. Aluminum in the diet and Alzheimer’s disease: from current epidemiology to possible disease-modifying treatment. J Alzheimers Dis 2010;20:17–30.

5.         Savaskan E, Mueller H, Hoerr R, von Gunten A, Gauthier S. Treatment effects of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® on the spectrum of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Int Psychogeriatr 2018;30:285–93.

6.         Hafiz ZZ, Amin M ’Afif M, Johari James RM, Teh LK, Salleh MZ, Adenan MI. Inhibitory Effects of Raw-Extract Centella asiatica (RECA) on Acetylcholinesterase, Inflammations, and Oxidative Stress Activities via In Vitro and In Vivo. Molecules 2020;25. 7.         Sehgal N, Gupta A, Valli RK, et al. Withania somnifera reverses Alzheimer’s disease pathology by enhancing low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein in liver. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012;109:3510–5.