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If you or a loved one have become forgetful, you may be concerned about Alzheimer's disease. This page outlines signs of Alzheimer's disease; read on to learn how to recognize Alzheimer's symptoms.
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Introduction
- Alzheimer's disease causes memory loss and cognitive impairment.MedlinePlus: Alzheimer's Disease It is a progressive disease of the brain, causing increasing incapacitation and dementia. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are treatments that can relieve some symptoms, and in some cases, slow the progression of the disease.Alzheimer's Association: What is Alzheimer's
Step 1: Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease
- Everyone is forgetful from time to time, and some slowing of mental processes is not unexpected as we age. But how forgetful must we become in our advancing years for there to be cause for concern regarding a disease such as Alzheimer's?
- The Alzheimer's Association has assembled a list of 10 warning signs that should prompt you to see your doctor. There may be explanations other than Alzheimer's for these symptoms, but if you notice any of these signs you should consult a professional for further evaluation.
- Memory changes that disrupt daily lifeAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Challenges in planning or solving problemsAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisureAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Confusion with time or placeAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationshipsAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- New problems with words in speaking or writingAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace stepsAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Decreased or poor judgmentAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Withdrawal from work or social activitiesAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
- Changes in mood and personalityAlzheimer's Association: 10 Signs of Alzheimer's
Step 2: Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease
- Although the amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles deep within the brain that definitively diagnose Alzheimer's are only visible upon autopsy, there are a number of procedures that clinicians use to diagnose the disease with a high degree of certainty.
- The doctor will take a medical history, paying particular attention to the cognitive symptoms that have been noticed, and whether or not they appear to be progressing.Alzheimer's Association: Steps to Diagnosis
- A mental status test will be administered, which tests a person's awareness of the world around them and their short term memory.Alzheimer's Association: Steps to Diagnosis
- A physical exam and blood work will be done, to rule out other causes of the symptoms. An improperly functioning thyroid can cause memory problems, for example.Alzheimer's Association: Steps to Diagnosis
- The patient will undergo neurological work and brain imaging tests to check for evidence of other neurological problems such as stroke, as well as to observe structural changes that are characteristic of Alzheimer's such as a shrunken hippocampus.Alzheimer's Association: Steps to Diagnosis
Step 3: Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's disease progresses in seven stages, from no impairment at stage 1 to severe impairment at stage 7. By stage 7, individuals have lost the capacity to control most basic functions such as walking, toileting and swallowing, and may be unaware of the world around them. Most individuals are diagnosed at stage 4, when cognitive issues have begun interfering with daily life.Alzheimer's Association: Stages of Alzheimer's
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