Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disorder that is estimated to have befallen 26 million people worldwide... and the American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF) postulates that this number will grow to around 106 million by the year 2050. Millions of dollars have been spent in the search for a cure for this disorder - alas, research has yielded few results. For the moment, the best thing that we can do in response to Alzheimer's disease is to make it more bearable for ourselves and our loved ones, by diligently using medicine that slows the progression of the disease. Aricept, also known by the generic name donepezil, is such a medicine.

As a cholinesterase inhibitor, Aricept works by delaying the decay of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is found in the brain. It also aids in increasing the body's supply of cortical acetylcholine. Alzheimer's disease - abbreviated to AD - occurs in one's advanced age, when the brain produces less natural acetylcholine. It is in this age also that the brain produces less of other essential neurotransmitters like serotonin, somatostatin and norepinephrine. In short, the brain atrophies. This most frequently occurs to men and women over the age of 65, although cases wherein it has occurred to younger people have been recorded.

The exact cause of this disease is unknown. In fact, AD itself is pronounced as a diagnosis in the absence of other ailments that may explain the onset of senile or presenile dementia. AD is recognized as a blanket term for the degeneration of the brain cells brought about by old age. It is diagnosed by making the patient and his or her relatives undergo a comprehensive battery of physical and psychological tests; in the process, physicians are able to determine the rate in which the patient's alacrity and coherence start to diminish, and to recommend the proper medicine.

Aricept is currently the #1 recommended drug for the treatment of AD. More than 3.8 people have been treated with this drug. At the moment the efficiency of Aricept in treating other cognitive disorders besides AD (e.g. Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, ADD and Mild Cognitive Impairment) is still being studied. On its own, Aricept may work well enough in slowing the breakdown of acetylcholine - but when combined with other medications, such as the newer anti-AD agent Memantine, it has been shown to be even more effective. A combination of Aricept and Memantine has been shown to significantly improve thinking, behavior and overall functioning.

Aricept is available in the form of tablets and orally-disintegrating tablets (ODTs). The initial dose is 5 mg, then it is increased to 10 mg daily, after an adjustment period of around 14 weeks. This drug has a half-life of around 70 hours, which makes it most effective if taken on the exact same time, once a day. Care must be taken in dispensing this medicine, as it is possible to overdose on it. Symptoms of overdose may include severe nausea, fainting, seizures (blacking out or convulsing), vomiting, slow breathing or heartbeat, shallow breathing, and muscle weakness. If any of these symptoms occur and overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical treatment.