Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that occurs when nerve cells in the brain die. It is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia and often results in the following:
- Impaired memory, thinking, and behavior
- Confusion
- Restlessness
- Personality and behavior changes
- Impaired judgment
- Impaired communication
- Inability to follow directions
- Language deterioration
- Impaired thought processes that involve visual and spatial awareness
- Emotional apathy
With Alzheimer's disease, motor function is often preserved. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the following are the most common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
- Memory loss that affects job skills, especially short-term memory loss
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Disorientation to time and place
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Problems with abstract thinking
- Misplacing things
- Changes in mood or behavior
- Changes in personality
- Loss of initiative
- Loss of ability to recognize who people are, even people well known to the individual, such as his or her child or spouse, when the disease progresses to a severe stage
Latest in Alzheimer's treatments
Alzheimer’s Disease is one of few neurodegenerative pathologies that has disease-modifying therapies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new therapies to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease.
- LECANEMAB = LEQEMBI® was approved in July 2023 and was the first Alzheimer’s drug to receive full FDA approval in over 20 years. This medication is delivered as an IV infusion (through your veins at an infusion center) once every two weeks for 18 months. It has the option of maintenance therapy beyond these first 18 months, and maintenance therapy can include ongoing infusions or subcutaneous injections.
- DONANEMAB = KISUNLA® was approved in July 2024 and works similarly to breakdown amyloid plaque and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. It is delivered via IV infusion once every four weeks and has the option to be discontinued in 6-12 months after amyloid plaques are shown to be cleared on PET imaging.
The Inova Brain Health and Memory Disorders Program is proud to offer both of these novel therapies for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. These medications can be associated with serious side effects, so they are not a good option for people with moderate to advanced dementias, or cognitive impairment due to other causes (like Lewy Body Disease or vascular disease). Please make an appointment with an Inova cognitive provider to review if these therapies are a good fit for you.