Professor of Health Science, Medical University of South Carolina

Jacobo Mintzer, MD, MBA

“The fact that there are limitations to what we can do from a behavioral [intervention] point of view is clear when you look at the amount of prescriptions that are off-label, of medications that are not indicated [for this], that we know have side effects that are undesirable, that are prescribed every day. I resist the belief that these doctors want to hurt their patients or that their family is resistant or against doing any behavioral interventions.”

Individuals with dementia and their families experience a number of challenges that accompany the neurodegenerative disease, particularly concerning the come-and-go nature of some symptoms. There have been few pharmacologic approaches for symptoms such as psychosis and agitation, and the off-label options can carry quite a few unwanted adverse events.

Although in recent years the push to finally get an approved and effective disease-modifying therapy has never been more top of mind, the neuropsychiatric symptoms many patients deal with on a day-to-day basis are still a cause for concern. For Jacob Mintzer, MD, MBA, professor of health science, Medical University of South Carolina, this is an extraordinarily important issue to address for these patients, who are elderly and often highly comorbid.

 to discuss this need, as well as to share his insight into the current approaches for these patients. Many of these interventions are behaviorally based and require both tact and buy-in from the patient to achieve. He offered his experience with these behavioral approaches and the general treatment of these complex neuropsychiatric symptoms. “When we are left with a fair amount of patients who are suffering. we need tools,” he said.

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The professor of health science at the Medical University of South Carolina detailed the limits of what can be achieved with behavioral interventions for the symptoms of dementia.

Changing Clinical Care for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia: Jacob Mintzer, MD, MBA

“The need [for these treatments] is extraordinary because we delegate the day-to-day treatment of these patients, which is extremely complicated—they have medical conditions, behavioral conditions, cognitive conditions—to the less-educated [and trained] people in the field.”

The need for treatments for patients with dementia and Alzheimer disease has led to enormous challenges for those in research and development. With a history of failed attempts at pharmacologic approaches and a limited number of symptomatic therapies available, many clinicians are left with essentially only behavioral modification methods to treat their patients. This need is not only restricted to disease-modifying therapies but also the neuropsychiatric symptoms that many patients deal with.

Additionally, every time a potential new agent hits a roadblock, those in the field are left with just another metaphorical punch to the gut. Jacob Mintzer, MD, MBA, professor of health science, Medical University of South Carolina, knows about these challenges firsthand. He sat down with 

 to discuss this incredible need for therapies and the difficulties in treating these patients, who are elderly and often highly comorbid.

Mintzer shared his insight on the current state of care for those individuals who live in long-term care facilities, as well as offered his perspective on the patient experience with dementia and the complexities of trying to get them the proper care they require on a daily basis, particularly due to the come-and-go nature of the symptoms.

The professor of health science at the Medical University of South Carolina spoke to the dire need for more therapeutic approaches to treat some of the most difficult symptoms of dementia.

Jacobo Mintzer, MD, MBA

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