damage the brain years before symptoms appear.When symptoms emerge, nerve cells that process, store, and retrieve information have already begun to degenerate and die. Scientists regard two abnormal microscopic structures called “plaques” and “tangles” as the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid plaques (AM-uh-loyd plaks) are clumps of protein fragments that accumulate outside of the brain’s nerve cells. Tangles are twisted strands of another protein that form inside brain cells. Scientists have not yet determined the exact role that plaques and tangles may play.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
Although Alzheimer’s symptoms can vary widely, the first problem that many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect performance at home, at work, or in favorite activities. Sometimes the decline in memory may be more obvious to a family member or close friend than to the affected individual. Other common symptoms include confusion, getting lost in familiar places, and difficulty with language. The Alzheimer’s Association encourages everyone who notices these symptoms in themselves or someone close to them to consult a physician.
A skilled physician can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with 90 percent accuracy. Because there is no single test for Alzheimer’s, diagnosis usually involves a thorough medical history and physical examination as well as tests to assess memory and the overall function of the mind and nervous system. The physician may ask a family member or close friend about any noticeable change in the individual’s memory or thinking skills.
One important goal of the diagnostic workup is to determine whether symptoms may be due to a treatable condition. Depression, medication side effects, certain thyroid conditions, excess use of alcohol, and nutritional imbalances are allpotentially treatable disorders that may sometimes impair memory or other mental functions. Even if the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s, timely identification enables individuals to take an active role in treatment decisions and planning for the future.
Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia, a group of conditions that all gradually destroy brain cells and lead to progressive decline in mental function. Most diagnostic uncertainty arises from occasional difficulty distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease from one of these related disorders.
Other Causes of Dementia
Vascular dementia results from damage caused by multiple strokes within the brain. Symptoms can be similar and can even coincide with Alzheimer’s disease and may include disorientation, confusion, and behavioral changes.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a rare disease caused by an obstruction in the flow of spinal fluid leading to a buildup of fluid in the brain. Symptoms include difficulty in walking, memory loss, and incontinence. NPH may be related to a history of meningitis, encephalitis, or brain injury and is occasionally correctable with surgery.
Parkinson’s disease affects the control of muscle activity, resulting in tremors, stiffness, and speech difficulties. In late stages, dementia can occur. Parkinson’s drugs can improve steadiness and control but have no effect on mental deterioration.
Dementia with Lewy bodies is a disorder that, although progressive, is often initially characterized by wide variations in attention and alertness. Affected individuals often experience visual hallucinations as well as muscle rigidity and tremors similar to those associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Huntington’s disease is a fatal, progressive, hereditary disorder characterized by irregular movements of the limbs and facial muscles, a decline in thinking ability, and personality changes.
Frontotemporal dementia, also known as Pick’s disease, is a rare brain disease that closely resembles Alzheimer’s, with personality changes and disorientation that may precede memory loss.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare ultimately fatal
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
Although Alzheimer’s symptoms can vary widely, the first problem that many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect performance at home, at work, or in favorite activities. Sometimes the decline in memory may be more obvious to a family member or close friend than to the affected individual. Other common symptoms include confusion, getting lost in familiar places, and difficulty with language. The Alzheimer’s Association encourages everyone who notices these symptoms in themselves or someone close to them to consult a physician.
A skilled physician can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with 90 percent accuracy. Because there is no single test for Alzheimer’s, diagnosis usually involves a thorough medical history and physical examination as well as tests to assess memory and the overall function of the mind and nervous system. The physician may ask a family member or close friend about any noticeable change in the individual’s memory or thinking skills.
One important goal of the diagnostic workup is to determine whether symptoms may be due to a treatable condition. Depression, medication side effects, certain thyroid conditions, excess use of alcohol, and nutritional imbalances are allpotentially treatable disorders that may sometimes impair memory or other mental functions. Even if the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s, timely identification enables individuals to take an active role in treatment decisions and planning for the future.
Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia, a group of conditions that all gradually destroy brain cells and lead to progressive decline in mental function. Most diagnostic uncertainty arises from occasional difficulty distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease from one of these related disorders.
Other Causes of Dementia
Vascular dementia results from damage caused by multiple strokes within the brain. Symptoms can be similar and can even coincide with Alzheimer’s disease and may include disorientation, confusion, and behavioral changes.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a rare disease caused by an obstruction in the flow of spinal fluid leading to a buildup of fluid in the brain. Symptoms include difficulty in walking, memory loss, and incontinence. NPH may be related to a history of meningitis, encephalitis, or brain injury and is occasionally correctable with surgery.
Parkinson’s disease affects the control of muscle activity, resulting in tremors, stiffness, and speech difficulties. In late stages, dementia can occur. Parkinson’s drugs can improve steadiness and control but have no effect on mental deterioration.
Dementia with Lewy bodies is a disorder that, although progressive, is often initially characterized by wide variations in attention and alertness. Affected individuals often experience visual hallucinations as well as muscle rigidity and tremors similar to those associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Huntington’s disease is a fatal, progressive, hereditary disorder characterized by irregular movements of the limbs and facial muscles, a decline in thinking ability, and personality changes.
Frontotemporal dementia, also known as Pick’s disease, is a rare brain disease that closely resembles Alzheimer’s, with personality changes and disorientation that may precede memory loss.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare ultimately fatal
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