To
diagnose Alzheimer's disease, doctors perform tests to assess a patient's
memory impairment and other thinking skills, analyze their functional
abilities, and identify behavioural changes. In addition, a number of tests are
performed to find other possible causes of the patient's impairment.
Alzheimer's
disease can be diagnosed in several different ways.Often, Alzheimer's is
diagnosed by doctors’ examinations.It
is important to get an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, the most
common type of dementia. Proper diagnosis is an important first step to
achieving appropriate treatment, care, family education, and plans for the
future.
Early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
Early signs and symptoms of
Alzheimer's disease include:
ü Memory disorders such as
difficulty remembering events
ü Difficulty
concentrating, planning, or solving problems
ü Problems completing
daily tasks at home or at work, such as writing or using utensils
ü Confusion over time or
place
ü Visual or spatial
difficulties such as misunderstanding distance, loss, or misplacement while
driving
ü Problems in finding
words or language problems such as reduced vocabulary in speech or writing
ü Use weak judgment in
decisions
ü Staying away from work
or social events
ü Mood changes such as depression or other behavioural and personality changes
Assessment
of memory problems and other symptoms
ü To assess and identify symptoms, the doctor may want
to answer questions or perform tasks related to cognitive skills such as
memory, thinking, problem solving speech use, and related skills.
ü Mental condition test. Doctors can perform mental
condition tests to test thinking (cognitive) and memory skills. Doctors use the
scores on these tests to assess your degree of cognitive decline.
ü Neuropsychological tests. It can be assessed by a
specialist trained in brain perception and mental health conditions
(neuropsychologist). Assessment can include extensive tests to assess your
memory and thinking (cognitive) skills.
ü These tests help doctors determine if you have
Alzheimer's and if you can safely perform daily tasks, such as taking
medication as planned. . These tests can also assess if depression is causing
your symptoms.
Interview with
friends and family
Doctors can ask family members or loved ones
questions about the patient and their behavior.
Brain imaging tests
Alzheimer's
disease is caused by progressive loss (degeneration) of brain cells.
This
degeneration can manifest itself in various ways in brain scans.
However,
these scans alone are not enough to make a diagnosis. Scans are not used to
diagnose the condition, because doctors usually can differentiate age-related
changes in the brain and which is normal or abnormal.
Magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI).
ü MRI uses powerful radio waves and magnets to create
a detailed view of your brain.
ü Computed tomography (CT). Tomography uses X-rays to
get cross-sectional images of your brain.
ü Positron emission tomography (PET). PET imaging
uses a radioactive substance known as a tracker to detect substances in the
body. There are different types of PET imaging. The most commonly used PET
imaging is fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). This scan can identify areas of the brain
where glucose metabolism is reduced. The pattern of metabolic changes can
distinguish different types of degenerative brain diseases.
ü Recently, PET scans have been developed to detect
groups of amyloid proteins (plaques) or tau (neurofibrillary tangles)
associated with Alzheimer's dementia. These types of PET scans are commonly
used in research settings.