Alzheimers

Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of all cases of progressive dementia. While there’s no cure for this devastating disease, Randi Baculi, MD, and Sanam Zaidi, PA-C, at RHBNeuro offer the most current and effective treatments. Their approach helps each Alzheimer’s patient enjoy the best possible life. If you or a loved one has experienced memory loss, call the RHBNeuro office in Dallas, Texas, or book your appointment online.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease causes progressive memory loss and a gradual decline in your ability to think, communicate, and make decisions. The disease develops over several years as two proteins (tau and amyloid) accumulate in your brain.

The proteins build up inside and around neurons (brain nerves), eventually killing the nerves and damaging that part of the brain. As the disease spreads, affecting more of the brain, your dementia symptoms get worse, and your ability to function in everyday life declines.

What symptoms does Alzheimer’s disease cause?

Alzheimer’s disease moves through three stages (early, middle, and late). Memory loss, the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease, usually begins with difficulty remembering recent conversations or events and forgetting information you just learned.

Common signs of Alzheimer’s include:

• Regularly misplacing possessions
• Being confused about time or place
• Repeating the same questions
• Getting lost in familiar places
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Having trouble with balance
• Not finding the words to express your thoughts
• Problems completing tasks you’ve done for years, like cooking and getting dressed

In the middle stage, people with Alzheimer’s often have difficulty sleeping and undergo personality changes. For example, they might experience mood swings or angry outbursts. Alzheimer’s can also cause hallucinations.

Late-stage changes include losing awareness of your surroundings and having a hard time walking, sitting, and swallowing.

How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?

In addition to your medical history and a physical exam, RHBNeuro diagnoses Alzheimer’s disease with a neurological exam and cognitive impairment testing.

Cognitive tests range from a short Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) to in-depth cognitive evaluations that reveal problems with memory, reasoning, brain processing, and attention.

RHBNeuro uses digital cognitive assessments to measure patients’ status and manage their progressive memory changes.

How is Alzheimer’s disease treated?

Your provider could prescribe medications that help slow down memory loss and improve skills like attention and language. Some medications are prescribed for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease; others are for patients in the middle and late stages.

RHBNeuro stays up-to-date on the most current advances in Alzheimer’s disease treatment. One of the latest medications, aducanumab, can help reduce amyloid plaques (proteins that play a central role in Alzheimer’s disease) in your brain.

Depending on your current stage and challenges, your provider might also recommend behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy can improve problems like angry outbursts and difficulty sleeping.

Call RHBNeuro or request an appointment online to get compassionate care for Alzheimer’s disease.