Psychcentral.com describes Alzheimer’s Disease “a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized in the brain by abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles) composed of misplaced proteins. Age is the most important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. Three genes have been discovered that cause early onset (or family) Alzheimer's. Other genetic mutations that cause excessive accumulation of amyloid protein are associated with age-related (sporadic) Alzheimer's.” http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/index.html

There is not one single known cause for Alzheimer’s Disease. While age is the biggest risk factor, there are several other factors that affect each individual differently. It is known that after age 65 the number of individuals who have the disease doubles every five years.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/alz_causes.htm The earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include forgetfulness and inability to concentrate which are sometimes ignored because they are also part of the aging process.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/index.html

This article on How to Diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease will discuss the causes, symptoms, risk factors, and ways it is diagnosed. For information on treatment, please read How to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease. Other articles you might find interesting are How to Diagnose Clinical Depression. How to Treat Clinical Depression, Alzheimer’s Disease, How to Care for Alzheimer’s Patients, and How to Distinguish Alzheimer's Disease from Dementia.

Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease. It appears that there is not one single cause, but several factors that affect each person differently. Age is the most important known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.

Another risk factor is family history. It is believed that genetics plays a role in many of the individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease. Familial Alzheimer’s disease, although rate, develops between the ages of 30 to 60 and it can be inherited. The most common form of Alzheimer’s disease develops later in life and there is no particular family pattern. One of the risk factors for the common form is apolipoprotein E (apoE), which is a protein. http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/alz_causes.htm

Everyone has apoE, which helps carry cholesterol in the blood. There are three forms of this gene. One of these forms acts to protect the individual from the disease. Another form makes it more likely for the individual to develop the disease. There may possibly be other genes that increase or decrease the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, but they have not been discovered yet.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/alz_causes.htm

In addition to genetics and apoE, scientists are studying education, environment, viruses, and diet to see what effect they have on the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Since two of the natural signs of aging are inability to concentrate and forgetting things, the onset of Alzheimer’s disease is often missed. As it develops, it leads to a number of cognitive deficits, including:

1. Memory impairment where the individual is not able to learn new information or cannot recall information that was previously learned;
2. Language deterioration where the individual has difficulty identifying people or objects (aphasia);
3. Inability to perform motor functions such as combing their hair even if they have motor abilities that are intact, sensory function, and understand the task (apraxia);
4. Inability to identify or even recognize objects even though their sensory function is intact (agnosia);
5. Inability to organize, plan, think abstractly, or complete sequences because their execution functioning is disturbed.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/alz_symptoms.htm
   
   

These cognitive deficits cause the individual to be impaired both socially or at work when it becomes obvious they are not at their previous level of functioning. The disease onsets gradually and continues with cognitive decline over time. It is important to see a doctor to make sure that these cognitive deficits are not from other diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, brain tumors, or cerebrovascular. The individual should also be checked for deficiencies of B-12, folic acid, or niacin, substance abuse or from neurosyphilis or HIV infection.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/alz_symptoms.htm

The Mayo Clinic lists the follow as the ten warning signs: 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, and loss of initiative.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers/az00017

There is only one definite way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and that is to find out whether there are tangles and plaques in brain tissue. The brain can only be examined after the individual dies and an autopsy is done. The diagnosis can only be possible or probable for Alzheimer’s disease. However, at specialized centers, doctors can diagnose Alzheimer's disease correctly up to 90 percent of the time. There are several tools doctors can use to diagnose "probable" Alzheimer's disease:

1. A complete medical history of individual’s general health, any medical problems in the past, and if they are having problems carrying out their daily activities;
2. Medical tests like blood, urine, or spinal fluid to rule out other diseases such as brain tumors, thyroid problems drug reactions, and depression, and a chest x-ray;
3. Neuropsychological tests that measure problem solving, attention, counting, language and memory;
4. Brain scans to see if anything in the brain looks abnormal.

An early diagnosis is important to help the individual and family plan for the future while they can still make decisions. It is also important to begin treatment as early as possible to help with the symptoms of the disease. Individuals with Alzheimer’s live an average of eight to ten years after diagnosis, but some individuals have lived as long as twenty years with the disease.http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/alz_gethelp.htm

There are some disorders that result in dementia, such as depression, poor nutrition, and drug interactions, which are curable – Alzheimer’s disease is not. Doctors may give a mini-mental state exam to test the individual’s problem solving skills, attention span, counting skills and memory. It can help the doctor determine if there is damage in different areas of the brain.http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/making-diagnosis

In addition to the above, there are other tests that the doctor may use to help get a probable diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease: CT scan to check changes in the brain that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease; MRI to rule out tumors or strokes that could cause dementia or show changes in the brain; EEG that measure brain function by electrical activity in the brain; ECG to check the heart and see if there is any damage; neuropsychological tests to see how thinking, emotion, and behavior are affected; PET scan to examine the heart, brain or other internal organs and how they function and can separate the brain activity for Alzheimer’s with that of dementia; SPECT scan show how the blood flows in areas of the brain and helps evaluate brain functions; MRSI studies substances in the brain without the use of radioactive materials; .http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/making-diagnosis?page=2,3,4

It is important to rule out things such as thyroid problems, depression, deficiency in vitamin B-12, and make sure the individual does not have some other serious medical problem that would make the diagnosis more complicated. Sometimes older patients have heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease, or a combination that can complicate the diagnosis.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers/az00017

These tests can help determine whether the individual can still function on their own or if they need to be moved to a safer living environment where they are protected. The best environment would have independent housing, assisted living, and nursing services all in one place, so if they have to be moved from one to the other they will be more familiar with their living situation. Having a routine to follow helps Alzheimer’s patients function better in their daily lives. Strange surroundings are not good because it causes too many problems that they have to try and solve. Making changes in their routine can cause the individual to go downhill quickly, like after the loss of a spouse because the spouse is no longer there to help and protect them.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers/AZ00017/NSECTIONGROUP=2

There is a difference in things that are related to age and those related to Alzheimer’s. The first line is the individual with Alzheimer’s disease and the second line is normal age-related changes.

- Poor judgment and decision making
- Making a bad decision once in a while

- Inability to manage a budget
- Missing a monthly payment

- Losing track of the date or the season
- Forgetting which day it is and remembering later

- Difficulty having a conversation
- Sometimes forgetting which word to use

- Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them
- Losing things from time to timehttp://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp?type=more_information

The content on this page is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Speak with a qualified heath care professional to ensure that you have the most accurate information regarding any mental health diagnosis.