Both drugs also slow memory loss and help the person perform daily tasks. How each works to lessen the symptoms of AD is not clear. It has been suggested that Vitamin E protects the nerve cell membranes from damage by a harmful chemical process called oxidation. Studies have shown that some architectural designs help AD patients. For example, buildings with circular floor plans allow AD patients to wander until they find their room.
Signs reminding AD patients to do certain tasks can help focus attention.
Having the same schedule each day can also aid the AD patient's memory. A controversial surgical treatment for AD has been reported by Dr. Harry S. Goldsmith at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He places part of the omentum , a fatty membrane in the abdomen which holds organs in, on the brain. This has been shown to improve short-term memory in AD patients, perhaps because of a chemical in the omentum. Since a definitive diagnosis of AD can only be made by examining the brain after a person dies, AD diagnosis in the living must be made by exclusion.