Alzheimer disease: Severity, associated symptoms, and recommended treatment
| Dementia category | Global Deterioration Scale (stages 1–7) | Medications |
|---|---|---|
| Not demented | 1 No cognitive impairment 2 Very mild decline: age-associated cognitive impairment 3 Mild cognitive impairment, minor neurocognitive decline | No indication for cognitive enhancers |
| Mild dementia | 4 Decreased knowledge of current and recent events Decreased ability to travel, handle finances, and manage basic activities of daily living | Cholinesterase inhibitors |
| Moderate dementia | 5 Unable to recall a major relevant aspect of their current life, an address or telephone number of many years, or the names of close family members Basic activities of daily living begin to be impaired | Cholinesterase inhibitors with or without an NMDA receptor antagonist |
| Severe dementia | 6 Occasionally forgets the name of the spouse or caregiver on whom he or she is entirely dependent Unaware of all recent events and experiences in their lives Most basic activities of daily living impaired | Cholinesterase inhibitor (donepezil) with or without an NMDA receptor antagonist |
| Advanced dementia | 7 Cannot speak or walk, has incontinence and difficulty swallowing | No randomized controlled trials in stage 7 |
NMDA = N-methyl-d-aspartate
Based on information in references 11 and 12.