Integrating AI Technologies and Drug Therapies in the Fight against Dementia: A Review

Abstract

Dementia is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that involves a gradual loss of functions of the brain, such as memory, reasoning, and attention. This review will assess the association between Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and the pharmacological treatment of dementia for diagnosis and treatment. A narrative review was conducted using literature retrieved from Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed databases. Relevant peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025 related to dementia, AI, machine learning, neuroimaging, and pharmacotherapy were analysed. A total of 141 eligible articles were included and thematically reviewed. Artificial Intelligence methods such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies have significantly improved the detection and classification of dementia using neuroimaging, speech analysis, and cognitive assessment data in very early or early stages of diagnosis. Newer advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI and PET, provide clinicians with more accurate test results and allow for more precise measurement. The continued use of pharmacological approaches, such as donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine, piracetam, and nootropic agents, remains the mainstay of symptomatic treatment and support for additional cognition. The combination of AI-assisted drug discovery and predictive modelling showed promise for developing personalised treatment methods while speeding up the development of new therapies. The combination of artificial intelligence with traditional dementia treatment methods enables medical professionals to diagnose patients earlier, make better treatment decisions, and deliver customised care to individual patients. Medical professionals face major challenges that prevent them from using the technology due to issues with data protection, system understanding, and medical validation. The use of AI in diagnostic and treatment methods is a new development with potential for improving dementia care. The process of developing dementia care solutions needs more interdisciplinary research to improve AI models, test their clinical use, and develop successful personalised treatment methods.