Alzheimers & Dementia

If you or someone you love is among the 6.7 million American adults with Alzheimer’s disease today, you need knowledgeable Neurology specialists to treat this serious neurological disease. Riverhills Neuroscience is the largest physician-owned neurology practice in the region. The practice is a one-stop shop with extensive resources for Alzheimer’s disease patients and their families with offices in Centerville, Ohio; Crestview Hills, Kentucky; and the Norwood, Westside, and Anderson enclaves of Cincinnati, Ohio. Call the office or click the online contact button to get in touch today.

I’m losing my memory. Is it Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that causes problems with thinking, memory, and behavior. Often, the earliest sign of Alzheimer’s disease involves struggling to retain new information. 

But, most people experience some degree of slowed thinking or minor memory issues as they age, so that symptom doesn't always mean you have Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease symptoms go beyond mild issues. They worsen until most people are unable to function at the later stages. Some common indicators of Alzheimer’s disease are:

• Disorientation
• Notable mood changes
• Increasing confusion
• Wandering and getting lost
• Irrational suspicions about loved ones or caregivers
• Speaking difficulties
• Swallowing problems
• Mobility issues

Although memory, thinking, and behavior problems don’t always mean you have Alzheimer’s disease, they could potentially indicate a different neurological problem. This is demonstrated by non-Alzheimer’s dementias.

What are non-Alzheimer dementias?

Alzheimer’s disease is just one type of dementia, although certainly the best-known one. According to the World Health Organization, Alzheimer’s disease may account for 60-70% of dementia cases today. 

There are at least 100 other types of non-Alzheimer dementias, including:

• Dementia with Lewy bodies 
• Frontotemporal dementia 
• Vascular dementia
• Parkinson’s disease dementia
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Huntington's disease

It can be challenging to separate Alzheimer’s disease symptoms from those of other dementias, so that’s why a comprehensive neurological evaluation is necessary. 

Diagnostic methods are improving every day, and neurology specialists can now identify dementia earlier than ever before.

Riverhills Neuroscience performs office-based assessments, including the latest state-of-the-art lab testing and neuroimaging. This can provide an accurate diagnosis as early as possible, which widens treatment options.

Is there treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia?

Although there’s no cure yet, there is considerable progress in dementia treatment.

There are now drugs that can slow disease progression and others that can help relieve symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Aside from medication management, family and community support is critical when living with all types of dementia. Riverhills Neuroscience can help your family access the care you need to navigate this challenging time and maintain a good quality of life.

The practice also conducts clinical research studies, including some focused on Alzheimer’s disease. These studies offer qualifying patients early access to innovative new treatments for their disease. 

Call Riverhills Neuroscience or request more information online now.