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Alzheimer's Disease Treatments

Alzheimer's Disease Treatment and Research

If you or a loved one have memory loss or difficulty concentrating, our team can help. We understand how frightening and frustrating the condition is. But you’re not alone.

Experts in our cognitive neurology program work with you to identify the cause of your cognitive changes. Then, our caring team provides innovative medical care and connects you to support services.

Our cognitive neurology program treats:

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Frontotemporal dementia
  • Lewy body dementia
  • Mild cognitive impairment
  • Vascular dementia

Emory Healthcare is one of the few specialized centers worldwide treating brain disorders and dementia.

Find an Emory Provider
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Creating a Safe Home Environment

Creating a safe home environment is an essential part of Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Our team offers many tips to ensure your home is safe. We also recommend ways to promote independence for your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer's Disease Treatments

At Emory Healthcare, our Alzheimer’s experts do more than stay up to date with current treatments. We’re leading the way. Our team is actively involved in clinical research to develop new Alzheimer’s disease treatments.

As trusted leaders at the region’s only comprehensive academic health system, we offer unparalleled services. We specialize in personalized care and are dedicated to improving memory and slowing disease progression in every person with Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease treatments have two essential goals. The first is to slow disease progression with medicines. The second goal is to ensure you and your family enjoy the highest quality of life possible.

We typically begin treatment for Alzheimer’s with medications. Behavioral therapies also have an essential role in supporting mental and emotional well-being.

Patients with Alzheimer’s and their families work with an expert team of providers. This team includes:

  • Physicians with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and dementias
  • Neuropsychologists with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and dementias
  • Advanced practice nurses who specialize in the treatment of dementia
  • Social workers with extensive experience helping people with Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cognitive specialists to check how well a patient’s thinking and memory work
  • Phlebotomists to draw blood for lab work
Alzheimer's Medications

Each group of Alzheimer’s medications works differently. Individual medications target specific stages. We prescribe some medications for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Other medications target the moderate to advanced stages.

Behavioral Therapies for Alzheimer's Disease

Behavioral therapy can improve many challenges caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive therapy teaches skills to support memory and daily activities. Other therapies support emotional and behavioral concerns, such as:

  • Agitation
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Delusions (believing things that aren’t true)
  • Depression
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Hallucinations (seeing, hearing or feeling something that’s not there)
  • Physical or verbal outbursts
  • Restlessness
  • Sleep psychosis
  • Mood/behavior psychosis
  • Wandering

While medications are available for these challenges, they may not be safe if you have Alzheimer’s disease. That’s why we may recommend talk therapy before considering other treatment options.

Alzheimer's Treatment Research and Clinical Trials

Our cognitive neurology team works with the researchers at Emory University's Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC).

Emory investigators are dedicated to finding diagnostic strategies and medications to stop or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. To achieve that goal, we conduct a wide range of clinical trials.

We study new medications to determine their effectiveness. And we explore new ways old drugs can treat Alzheimer’s disease. We also study treatments other than medications for Alzheimer’s disease.

Your participation in clinical studies may give you the chance to try new treatments.

As we pursue new treatments and a cure, we frequently add new studies and clinical trials. Talk with your doctor to learn if you’re a good fit for one of our current studies.

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain condition that causes memory loss and disrupts thinking, reasoning and communication skills.

Find an Emory Doctor

Emory Healthcare doctors provide specialized treatment and research the latest advancements.

Explore our Network

To expand your options, explore our network of providers throughout Atlanta and the surrounding counties.
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Make an Appointment with Emory Neurology & Neurosurgery

Create a MyChart account to schedule online.

For the neurology department, call 404-778-3444.

For the neurosurgery department, call 404-778-5770.

network_intelligence

Make an Appointment with Emory Neurology & Neurosurgery

Create a MyChart account to schedule online.

For the neurology department, call 404-778-3444.

For the neurosurgery department, call 404-778-5770.