Menu
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the brain and one of several conditions that cause dementia, a progressive decline of mental functions resulting in memory loss and confusion. About 4 million Americans have the disease and it’s estimated that Alzheimer’s accounts for 50 to 70 percent of all cases of dementia. Individuals with Alzheimer’s dementia typically have problems with their memory, abstract thinking, orientation, initiation and getting going, language, misplacing items, poor judgment, and mood. While there is no definitive test one can do when a person is alive to diagnose Alzheimer’s or other dementia, a neuropsychological assessment can aid in making this important diagnoses and initiating treatment.
Vascular dementia (VaD) is one of the most common types of dementia in older adults. It causes a subtle, progressive decline of memory and other brain function, such as thinking, learning, remembering, organization skills and complex visual processing, and is caused by reduced blood flow in the brain. Vascular dementia may be caused by a stroke, in which the blood supply to the brain becomes blocked. Vascular dementia symptoms are similar to those of Alzheimer’s disease, such as memory loss, but are usually easier to overcome with cues and reminders.
Lewy body dementia can occur alone or with other neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. It is the second most frequent cause of dementia in elderly adults and is associated with abnormal structures called Lewy-bodies found in certain areas of the brain. Like other dementias, it is progressive and associated with a memory loss and increased confusion. Individuals with a Lewy body dementia typically have Parkinsonian symptoms, waxing and waning of memory and cognition, hallucinations, and problems with sleep.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of degenerative diseases that gradually damage or shrink the front of the brain or areas referred to as the frontal and anterior temporal lobes. These two areas are important for many brain functions, including language, the ability to focus attention, make plans and decisions and control impulses. Individuals with a frontotemporal dementia typically show changes in personality or mood, psychiatric problems, and lack emotion, inhibition or social tact.
250 W Eisenhower Pkwy Suite 190 Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Tel (734) 961-7196, Fax (734) 961-7187
46325 W 12 Mile Road Suite 215 Novi, MI 48377
Tel (248) 719-7119, Fax (248) 719-7120
14555 Levan, Suite 402 Livonia, MI 48154
Tel: (734) 744-7207, Fax: (734) 744-7209
Copyright © neuropsychologyllc.com