Memory Treatments

Medication

There are FDA approved medical treatments which, when used early in the course of memory loss, can help slow the deterioration seen in dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s Dementia.  There is also medication shown to be of some modest benefit in the moderate stage of the illness.  As a board-certified geriatrician, Dr Stepkovitch is extremely experienced in the appropriate use of these medications.

Electrical Brain Stimulation

An exciting area of interest in medicine is the utilization of electricity to help brains function better.  Electrically stimulating the brain causes a number of positive effects:  improved blood flow, release of dopamine from neurons, increased communication between neural networks, even direct evidence of neuronal growth.

TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, is a treatment which utilizes a magnetic coil, approximately the power of an MRI, to specifically target the parts of the brain which are working suboptimally, and electrically stimulate them.  This is a treatment that has been FDA approved for major depression since 2008 which holds promise in helping those who would like to improve their memory, or at the very least protect their brain from deterioration.  Several small studies have shown the promise of TMS in memory treatment.  One such study showed that healthy individuals over the age of 65 exhibited significant improvement in memory after a series of TMS treatments.  TMS has also shown positive results in those suffering from mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia.  

Dr Stepkovitch has partnered with CNYTMS Psychiatry to provide comprehensive memory evaluation and memory treatment.  For more information, contact Dr Stepkovitch or CNYTMS Psychiatry directly.