Drugs not the only therapy for dementia

Music, pets and aromatherapy should be used to calm agitated or delusional patients before drugs that often prove ineffective or have harmful side effects are turned to, researchers said.

After evaluating 29 studies dating to the mid-1960s, researchers at Wake Forest University said “it was discouraging to find that we currently don’t have good drug therapies” for dementia-related behaviors.

Dementia is usually associated with memory loss, but at least 60% of patients also suffer such symptoms as agitation, aggression, delusions, hallucinations, repetitive vocalizations and wandering, said lead researcher Kaycee Sink.

The report, published in the Feb. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Assn., analyzed data on more than 15 drugs commonly prescribed for dementia symptoms, including antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers.

Small studies have shown that music therapy, aromatherapy and pet therapy may be effective in calming patients, the report said.