title: [Pharmacological and other options in preventing dementia: a literature review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  At present 34 million people live with Alzheimer's disease around the world. This figure is expected to triple in the next 40 years. The major cause of this increase is the well-known aging of the society in Europe and in the US as well.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this paper we review the results of the last 10 years, and discuss those pharmaceutical and other methods, which can be effective in the prevention of dementias.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most important pharmaceutical agents are beta secretase inhibitors, and active and passive immunizations. Several drugs in these groups are in phase III at the moment. The results from studies with intranasal insulin are also encouraging. As a non-drug option Mediterranean diet can be effective. However at present cognitive trainings seem to be the most effective in the prevention of dementias. These remediation therapies are based on the lifelong plasticity of the human brain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary we can conclude that there are promising drug developments in progess for the prevention of dementias, but the breakthrough has not been achieved yet. At present the best option is decreasing risk factors, that is treatment of hypertension, prevention of obesity and diabetes, and cognitive trainings are recommended for prevention.
authors.affiliation: Semmelweis Egyetem, Pszichiátriai és Pszichoterápiás Klinika, Budapest, Hungary. csugab@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Csukly
authors.forename: Enikő
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sirály
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hidasi
authors.forename: Pál
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salacz
authors.forename: Ádám
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Éva
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Csibri
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003071:Cognition; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000517:prevention & control; D003704:Dementia / Q000517:prevention & control; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007328:Insulin; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509280:BACE1 protein, human