'Treatable' Does Not Mean 'Curable'

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'Treatable' Does Not Mean 'Curable'

by Bradley Boeve, MD

(Source: Chicago Tribune) - It is important to make the distinction

between the medical terms " treatable " and " curable " . Dementias

brought about by Alzheimer's disease or Lewy Body Disease (the two

most common causes) or by other brain disorders are treatable.

Symptoms may improve with therapy, or progression can be altered. But

these diseases are not curable. Though patients may get some relief,

for a few months or even several years, when treated with the best

available drugs, sooner or later their decline resumes.

It also is important to distinguish full-blown dementia

from " cognitive impairment " . Dementia is marked by loss of

intellectual and social abilities severe enough to interfere with

daily functioning, while cognitive impairment - reduced memory,

language, attention, reasoning, judgment, reading or writing ability -

can vary from mild to severe.

Although dementias caused by degenerative brain disorders are not

currently curable, long-term prospects are encouraging. Researchers

are investigating various drugs targeted at suspected protein

culprits in each of the major dementias.

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