THE FOLLOWING ARE SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS COMMONLY TREATED BY THE WASHINGTON ACUPUNCTURE CENTER. DEMENTIA Dementia is loss of intellectual faculties, reasoning power, memory and will due to degeneration of brain tissue. It is characterized by confusion, disorientation, confabulation, apathyapathy and stupor of varying degrees. It is often associated with old age but may develop earlier in life. Persenile dementia may be diagnosed as ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, brain atrophy demonstrable by pneumoencephalogram or axial tomography of the brain. No drug or surgical treatment is considered effective. Acupuncture along with nutritional therapy can improve brain physiology and thereby relieve symptoms of dementia. Most of the patients treated for dementia at the Washington Acupuncture Center have shown significant improvement in mental status. Many of them have been treated for other medical problems at the same time. Some of them begin to function rationally after the first few treatments, but others require many more treatments for maximum benefit. Drugs given to control behavior may cause further brain damage, ataxia, dyskinesia and convulsions. They usually do much more harm as soon as possible without causing withdrawal symptoms. Since dementia is often preceded by hypoglycemia and cerebral arteriosclerosis, a high protein diet low in fat and carbohydrate should be given. Vitamins and minerals especially important in treating dementia include: A 10,000 International Units, B1 50 mg., B2 50 mg., B6 50 mg., B12 100 mcg., Biotin 20 mg., Choline 50 mg., Folic acid 0.4 mg., Inositol 100 mg., Vitamin C 2 gm., Vitamin D 800 International Units, Vitamin E 400 International Units, Calcium 500 mg., Magnesium 200 mg., Selenium 25 mcg., Zinc 20 mg. next