Alzheimer's Disease Awareness

Our goal is to help people better understand Alzheimer’s disease, which currently affects more than 6.5 million people in the United States. To shed light on this complex condition, Dr. Nadeem Mirza, a neuropsychiatrist at Bronson Lakeview Neurobehavioral Health, shares his expertise on this challenging disease, its signs and symptoms, as well as how our multidisciplinary team is providing exceptional care to patients and their families.  

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological condition. It falls under the umbrella of dementias. There are different types of dementia and Alzheimer's is the most common. It is called Alzheimer’s disease because it was named after the scientist who initially described it.

Who is at risk for Alzheimer’s disease?

Age puts you at the greatest risk. If you take 100 people between the ages of 65 and 74, five of them would have Alzheimer’s disease. When you take 100 people between the ages of 75 and 84 the number increases to 15-20 people. Above the age of 85, one in three people have the disease.

If you have a family history of dementia, your risk is higher. If you have late-onset depression, meaning you are in your 50s or older the first time you are diagnosed with depression, those people are shown to have a higher risk. Other things that put you at risk include uncontrolled diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension or high blood pressure.

What are the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

The most common symptoms start with short-term memory problems that then start affecting your day-to-day life. People may have difficulty finding words. They know what they want to say but the word will not come to them. These things happen to all of us once in a while. If this is happening on a regular basis, it can be an early symptom. People may have difficulty recognizing things although their vision is fine. For example, they have used a microwave all throughout their life but they look at the microwave and they don’t recognize it or how to use it. Executive function, things like planning, sequencing and doing things becomes more difficult, including keeping up with their checkbook, keeping up with their appointments. When these things start affecting your day-to-day life then those are the presenting signs or symptoms of dementia. Often, it’s not the patient who recognizes these early signs. It’s a spouse or caregiver who first recognizes the signs.

How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?

Diagnosis consists of a personal history, first. Then, a neurological exam to make sure there is no other medical condition. It will also require some lab work, including blood tests to rule out other causes, an MRI or CT of the brain, as well as a paper and pencil test.

How is Alzheimer’s treated?

Treatment consists of medications. There is no cure but there are medications that prolong a person’s life and improve their quality of life. The hope for any patient is that we see Alzheimer’s as a chronic disease like high blood pressure or diabetes. The goal is to keep the person as independent as possible, as long as possible, and making sure that you're safe.

How does the Bronson Lakeview Neurobehavioral Health team provide exceptional care?

At Bronson we have a team, including me as a psychiatrist, who sees the patient. We have a nurse practitioner who works with us as well as a neuropsychologist and a neurologist who work in our group. You get all the experts under one entity. We work together to help you and your family deal with Alzheimer’s as a chronic disease. As you go through different stages of the disease, our team works together to support you and your family. Our goal is focused on the best overall treatment for the individual patient and their family.  

Watch a video of our conversation with Dr. Mirza.

Learn more at: Bronson LakeView Neurobehavioral Health Specialists - Paw Paw