Diagnosis

It can be difficult to ask for help, but people who have trouble with their memory and thinking should talk to their doctor to find out the cause. If it is Alzheimer’s, starting treatment early may help with maintaining normal activities for a longer time. An early diagnosis also gives them a chance to join research studies that test new treatments for the disease.

Your healthcare professional may ask you to answer questions or perform tasks that measure your cognitive skills. The tasks help to evaluate your memory, abstract thinking, problem-solving, language usage, and related skills.

The exact causes of Alzheimer's disease are not fully known. But they do know that brain proteins stop working the right way. This harms the work of brain cells, called neurons, and causes them to lose connections with each other. Over time, the neurons become damaged. Scientists believe that Alzheimer's disease is caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that affect the brain as people get older.

There are multiple ways to diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease.

• Mental status testing. This test focuses on your thinking skills, known as cognitive skills, and memory. The scores on these tests can show how much someone’s thinking and memory are affected.

• Neuropsychological tests. You may see a specialist trained in brain conditions and mental health conditions, known as a neuropsychologist. This specialist can do extensive tests of your memory and cognitive skills.

• Interviews with friends and family. Doctors and other healthcare professionals may ask your family members or friends questions about you and your behavior.

• Lab tests and brain imaging. You may need lab tests to rule out other conditions that cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease. A cerebrospinal fluid test may be recommended to help diagnose Alzheimer's.

• Alzheimer's disease from the loss of brain cells over time. This is known as degeneration. Degeneration may appear in a variety of ways in brain scans.

Dementia is a general term that refers to a range of symptoms affecting memory and thinking. Alzheimer's disease is a specific type of dementia that causes memory loss and confusion that gets worse over time. Other types of dementia exist, each one with different causes and symptoms.

You can look at this graphic here for a visual explanation.

Some people feel scared or worried about seeing a doctor when they or a family member has memory issues. Some people hide their symptoms, or family members try to cover for them. It can be hard to face the challenges that Alzheimer's can cause, like not being about to do things on your own or drive. While there's no cure for Alzheimer's, catching the disease early can still be helpful.

If another condition that can be treated is causing memory loss, your doctor can start treatments to help. For those with Alzheimer's, starting medicines early can help slow memory loss and other thinking problems. Other medicines and interventions can help manage symptoms. You also may be able to participate in clinical trials.