HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY AND OTHER POTENTIAL TREATMENTS FOR DEMENTIAS

The past decade has seen a substantial increase in the number of indiv iduals affected by dementia. Dementia places a tremendous personal and economic burden on millions of patients and caregivers annually. Cons equently, many scientists have been searching for a treatment for deme ntia to avoid the imminent public health crisis that will occur if thi s trend continues. Primary and secondary prevention studies, as well a s animal research, demonstrate the potential for hormone replacement t herapy (HRT) as an efficacious treatment for dementia. Recently. the W omen's Health Initiative-Memory Study began the first randomized, long term clinical trial to test the hypothesized role of HRT at the onset and in the progression of dementia in women. Researchers also are inve stigating the potential of other treatments for dementias, such as non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and free radical scavengers.