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How Do Doctors Determine Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease causes a loss of social and intellectual abilities when healthy brain tissue begins to degenerate. Patients will have memory loss which gets worse over time. They will also experience a decline in their mental abilities. Nearly half of all people over the age of 85 have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.

  1. Symptoms

    • Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, loss of judgment, disorientation, trouble doing routine tasks such as cooking and trouble expressing thoughts.

    Personality Changes

    • Alzheimer's disease can cause changes in personality including mood swings, anxiety, aggressiveness, depression, stubbornness and social withdrawal.

    Diagnosis

    • Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed using blood tests to rule out other causes of dementia such as vitamin deficiencies. Neuropsychological tests are used to diagnose problems with thinking and memory.

    Diagnostic Testing

    • MRI, CT scans and brain scans are used to look for abnormalities such as bleeding or tumors. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is used to show which parts of the brain aren't working properly.

    Treatment

    • Treating Alzheimer's disease includes a group of medicines called cholinesterase inhibitors which improve neurotransmitter levels. Another drug called Namenda protects brain cells from damage.

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