Pick’s disease

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Central nervous system

Primary progressive aphasia; Aphasia - primary progressive; Semantic dementia; Dementia - semantic; Frontotemporal dementia; Arnold Pick's disease

There is no proven effective treatment for Pick's disease.

Depending on the symptoms and how bad the disease is, the patient may need monitoring and help with personal hygiene and self-care. Eventually, there may be a need for 24-hour care and monitoring at home or in an institutionalized care setting. Family counseling may help in coping with the changes required for home care.

Visiting nurses or aides, volunteer services, homemakers, adult protective services, and other community resources may be helpful in caring for the person. In some communities, there may be access to support groups (such as the Alzheimer's - support group, elder care - support group, or others).

In some cases, cognitive function may be improved by stopping or changing medications that worsen confusion or that are not essential to the care of the person. This may include medications such as anticholinergics, analgesics, cimetidine, central nervous system depressants, and lidocaine.

Disorders that contribute to confusion should be treated. These may include heart failure, decreased oxygen (hypoxia), thyroid disorders, anemia, nutritional disorders, infections, and psychiatric conditions such as depression. Treating any medical and psychiatric disorders often helps improve mental function.

Medications may be needed to control aggressive, dangerous, or agitated behaviors.

Some patients may need hearing-aids, glasses, cataract surgery, or other treatments.

Behavior modification may help some people control unacceptable or dangerous behaviors. This consists of rewarding appropriate or positive behaviors and ignoring inappropriate behaviors (when it's safe to do so).

Formal psychotherapy treatment doesn't always work, because it may cause further confusion or disorientation.

Reality orientation, with repeated reinforcement of environmental and other cues, may help reduce disorientation.