Alzheimer's Overview

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Misplaced house keys….a few forgotten items on the grocery list…overlooking a friend’s birthday. These can all be common lapses of memory, especially as one gets older. But what about forgetting your address, your phone number, or even your own children’s names? The problem may not be simple forgetfulness, but instead, a progressive, debilitating, disease of the brain called Alzheimer’s that affects about four million Americans.

Alzheimer’s is described as a degenerative disease of the brain cells that produces loss of memory, mood swings, and intellectual and motor impairment. Although there is currently no cure, there are medications that aid in reducing the symptoms, and slowing the progression of the disease.

Early Diagnosis
Suzanne sat down with Dr. Jason Karlawish, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, to learn more about early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. There are three main steps to diagnosis: history, exam, and testing.

For the first step, it is important to visit your doctor and report any changes in yourself regarding memory, personality, and language. It is best to record these changes in writing to give to your doctor, to make it easier to compare with any symptoms that may surface over time. Family members may also be interviewed to gain more information about the family’s medical history, and further background information on the person being tested.

If the doctor finds it is necessary, the exam portion will follow. This battery of cognitive and memory tests can take anywhere from 1-2 hours. This can include photo and object recognition, spelling, and basic counting exercises. Basic questions such as, “What day of the week is it?” and “What is your address?” may also be asked to assess the person’s mental status.

The final step is medical testing. This can start with a physical examination of the patient, to rule out any other potential causes of dementia, such as thyroid and heart disease. Laboratory tests including MRI or ACT scans which takes images of the brain, may be performed. Blood will also be taken for testing, to ensure that the patient is not suffering from another serious illness that could be the cause of their symptoms.

When these three steps are completed, a doctor can assess the situation by reviewing all of the collected results, and make an informed diagnosis.

10 Warning signs of Alzheimer’s
(Compiled by the Alzheimer’s Association)

• Recent Memory Loss That Affects Job Skills
• Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks
• Problems With Language
• Disorientation of Time and Place
• Poor or Decreased Judgment
• Problems with Abstract Thinking
• Misplacing Things
• Sudden Changes in Mood and Behavior
• Drastic Changes in Personality
• Loss of Initiative