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Alzheimers & Dementia services offered in Medical District, Las Vegas, NV
Alzheimer’s disease is undoubtedly the most common condition that causes dementia, affecting around six million Americans. If you’re worried about yourself or a loved one, visit Las Vegas Neurology Center, conveniently located in the Medical District of Las Vegas, Nevada. The practice’s experienced neurologists excel at diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s and dementia using the most advanced therapies available. Patients may also be able to participate in clinical trials to test new treatments. Call Las Vegas Neurology Center to request a consultation or book one online today.
Alzheimers & Dementia Q&A
Are Alzheimer’s and dementia the same?
People often speak about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia as though they’re the same, but they’re not.
Dementia is a symptom rather than a disease — it’s the primary symptom of Alzheimer’s and other conditions, including vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. One in three seniors die of dementia-causing illnesses every year in the United States.
When you have Alzheimer’s disease, proteins in the brain malfunction, destroying neurons (nerve cells) and the connections between them. That affects brain function, causing dementia symptoms. Alzheimer’s cause is unclear, but your environment, genes, and lifestyle could all play a part.
What signs might indicate I have Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Alzheimer’s develops in stages:
Mild Alzheimer’s disease
Mild Alzheimer’s and dementia cause memory loss, primarily affecting recent memories. You’ll probably remember events from many years in the past but forget everyday things that you should know easily, like your address, the year, and when you last ate. You might find it harder to understand conversations, and routine tasks may take longer.
Moderate Alzheimer’s disease
As Alzheimer’s and dementia progress, symptoms increasingly affect reasoning and language skills. You might develop difficulties speaking and be unable to concentrate. People become confused, forget where they live, and wander off alone. It gets harder to recognize friends and family — a frequent and highly distressing problem is patients not knowing who their loved ones are.
Severe Alzheimer’s disease
Severe Alzheimer’s and dementia affect your mobility and other motor skills. You may be unable to talk, dress, or feed yourself. Eventually, dementia can leave you unable to move or even swallow unaided.
What treatments help with Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, so Las Vegas Neurology Center focuses on delaying dementia’s progress and improving a patient’s quality of life.
Nutritional advice, dietary supplements, lifestyle changes like exercising more, and quitting smoking all help to support brain function. Physical and occupational therapy, cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), and reminiscence work can also be beneficial.
Medications a Las Vegas Neurology Center provider might prescribe for Alzheimer’s and dementia include cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. These drugs stop the breakdown of chemical messengers in your brain, like acetylcholine and glutamate, that play vital roles in learning, memory, alertness, thought, and judgment.
Aducanumab-avwa is a newer drug that reduces beta-amyloid plaques — toxic proteins that destroy neurons in your brain.
Call the Las Vegas Neurology Center or book an appointment online today for an expert Alzheimer’s disease and dementia diagnosis and comprehensive care.