Imagine you are 66 years old. You are a seasoned professor at a local university and are set to give a lecture on modern civilization. You notice you are not acting like yourself. When you give your lecture, you constantly repeat words and are lost in thought. At home, you forget conversations and can't remember the names of your family members. You have more mood swings and get lost driving back to your house, even though you have resided there for the last 30 years. These are all symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, this frightening disease usually affects people who are older than 65. But it has been known to affect people younger than 40. There are specific steps to diagnose Alzheimer's disease.
Step 1
Go to your doctor and get neuropsychological testing. Your doctor will ask you a series of questions to assess if you are aware of your symptoms, know your surroundings and can follow directions. According to the Alzheimer's Association, this is called the Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE). An MMSE score of less than 12 indicates severe dementia (lack of cognitive abilities). The MMSE's maximum score is 30. The mini-cog is another test used to assess mental activity. You will be asked to draw a clock and remember the names of three objects.
Step 2
Get a blood test and have your doctor perform a thorough physical exam. According to the Mayo Clinic, a blood test can rule out other medical diseases that may be causing your dementia. A thorough neurological exam tests your muscle strength, reflexes and sensation to determine whether such medical conditions as a brain tumor are causing your symptoms.
Step 3
Go to a radiologist (imaging doctor) to obtain an image of your brain. The Mayo Clinic indicates that there are three types of tests available for doctors to study your brain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a magnet field and radio waves to create brain images. A computerized tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays and a computer to pictorially create various slices of your brain. In positron emission tomography (PET), you will be injected with a low radioactive substance that will travel to your brain. Your doctor will look for abnormalities such as clots or bleeding to explain your symptoms. If none are found, Alzheimer's may be the diagnosis.
Tips and Warnings
- According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors accurately diagnose 90 percent of Alzheimer's disease cases. Complete accuracy occurs postmortem when a pathologist looks at the brain for the plaques and tangles characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
Things You'll Need
- Mini-Mental Status Exam
- Mini-cog exam
- Blood test
- Imaging tests
