Dementia medicines

No medicine can cure dementia yet. But several medicines can help. Some ease memory and thinking problems for a while. Two newer drugs slow early Alzheimer's disease by a modest amount. Others help with agitation or sleep.¹

This page gives you the big picture. It explains what each type of medicine does and lists the ones the FDA has approved, as of October 2026. Each section links to a page with more detail.

The main types of dementia medicines

Medicines that ease symptoms

Cholinesterase inhibitors are the oldest group. They include donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Razadyne). They keep more acetylcholine around. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger that brain cells use for memory and learning.¹ Stomach upset, nausea, loss of appetite and loose stools are the most common side effects.¹ Read more on donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine.

Memantine (Namenda) works a different way. It calms glutamate, another brain chemical messenger. It is approved for moderate to severe Alzheimer's. It can be taken alone or with donepezil. Headache, constipation, confusion and dizziness can happen.¹ Read more on memantine.

These medicines do not repair damage or stop the disease from moving forward. They may help a person think, remember or manage daily tasks a little better, for a limited time.¹ Some people notice no change. Others seem to hold steady for a while.

Medicines that slow early Alzheimer's

Anti-amyloid antibodies are lab-made proteins. They help the body clear amyloid, a sticky protein that builds up between brain cells in Alzheimer's.¹ Two are approved: lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla).

In the main trials, people on these drugs still got worse. But they got worse more slowly. With lecanemab, decline over 18 months was about 27% slower than with a placebo (a look-alike with no medicine).² Donanemab also slowed decline in its main trial, which lasted about a year and a half (76 weeks).⁴ That is a real effect, but a small one. Many families may not notice it day to day.

These drugs carry the FDA's strongest warning, a boxed warning. It is for ARIA, short for amyloid-related imaging abnormalities. ARIA means swelling or small bleeds in the brain.^2,4 Most ARIA causes no symptoms and shows up only on an MRI scan. Rarely, it is serious or deadly. People with two copies of the APOE e4 gene have the highest risk.² Read more about ARIA and whether these drugs fit you on Are anti-amyloid treatments right for us?

Medicines for behavior and sleep

Dementia can bring agitation, restlessness, anger or poor sleep. Experts advise trying non-drug steps first.¹ These can include checking for pain, adjusting the daily routine or making the room calmer. See dementia symptoms and behaviors.

When non-drug steps are not enough, a doctor may consider a medicine:

• Brexpiprazole (Rexulti) became the first drug approved for agitation in Alzheimer's dementia in May 2023. It is an antipsychotic. Like all antipsychotics, it has a boxed warning: older people with dementia-related psychosis who take these drugs have a higher risk of death.⁵
• Dextromethorphan-bupropion (Auvelity) was approved for agitation in Alzheimer's dementia in April 2026. It was already used for depression. It is not an antipsychotic.^6,1 In a 5-week study, it lowered agitation scores somewhat more than placebo. Dizziness was the most common side effect.⁶
• Suvorexant (Belsomra) is a sleep medicine. It was tested in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's and trouble sleeping. Over 4 weeks, it helped them sleep longer than placebo did.⁷ It can make a person less alert and less steady on their feet.¹

Read more on medicines for agitation and behavior and sleep medicines in dementia.

FDA-approved dementia medicines (as of October 2026)

What about Aduhelm? Aducanumab (Aduhelm) was the first anti-amyloid drug. Its maker stopped selling it in November 2024. The Alzheimer's Association says that choice was about the company's priorities, not safety or results.¹⁰

New at-home option. Since July 13, 2026, lecanemab can be started as a weekly shot under the skin at home, using the Leqembi Iqlik pen. A health worker guides at least the first two doses.³

What about other types of dementia?

Most of the medicines above were tested in Alzheimer's disease. Other types are different, and some medicines can even cause harm.

• Lewy body dementia. Cholinesterase inhibitors are the usual first choice for thinking problems.¹³ But up to half of people with Lewy body dementia may have a severe reaction to antipsychotic drugs, such as heavy sleepiness, more confusion or stiffness.¹³ Read about Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease dementia.
• Frontotemporal dementia (FTD). No drug that slows FTD is FDA-approved. Cholinesterase inhibitors may make impulsive behavior worse, and memantine has not been shown to help.¹² Some antidepressants are often used for behavior symptoms.¹² Read about frontotemporal dementia.
• Vascular and mixed dementia. None of the drugs in the table is approved for vascular dementia. See vascular dementia and mixed dementia for what helps.

Some memory problems come from treatable causes, like low vitamin B12, thyroid problems or side effects of other medicines. See treatable conditions that look like dementia.

Paying for dementia medicines

Medicare Part B may cover lecanemab and donanemab for people with confirmed amyloid and mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's. Your doctor must take part in an approved study or registry. After the Part B deductible, you usually pay 20%, plus costs for scans and tests.¹¹ If Part B rules are not met, a Part D drug plan might cover the drug.¹¹ Read paying for new Alzheimer's drugs.

Safety tips for families

• Keep one up-to-date medicine list. Include pills you buy without a prescription, vitamins and supplements. Bring it to every visit. A memory notebook can help.
• Ask about medicines that can make memory worse. The American Geriatrics Society keeps a list, called the Beers Criteria, of medicines older adults often should avoid.¹⁴ Read medicines that can worsen memory.
• Be careful with supplements. Many products claim to boost memory with little proof. See supplements and memory claims.
• Get help giving medicines. Pill organizers, locked storage and pharmacy reviews can prevent mistakes. See managing medicines at home.

Looking ahead

Many new treatments are being tested, including drugs aimed at tau (a protein that tangles inside brain cells). Read about new treatments being tested and how to judge news headlines. If you want to help research, see joining a dementia clinical trial.

All pages in this section

• Donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine
• Memantine
• Lecanemab (Leqembi)
• Donanemab (Kisunla)
• ARIA: brain swelling and bleeding with anti-amyloid drugs
• Are anti-amyloid treatments right for us?
• Paying for new Alzheimer's drugs
• Medicines for agitation and behavior
• Sleep medicines in dementia
• Medicines that can worsen memory
• New treatments being tested
• Supplements and memory claims
• Joining a dementia clinical trial

Questions to ask the doctor

Which medicines make sense for us now?

• What type and stage of dementia is this?
• Would a symptom medicine help? What change should we look for, and by when?
• Are we candidates for lecanemab or donanemab? Why or why not?

How will we know if a medicine is working or causing problems?

• What side effects should we watch for, and who do we call?
• When should we check whether to keep going or stop?
• Could any current medicine be making memory worse?

In this section

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.