Alzheimer's disease is a chronic and incurable form of dementia, and is ultimately fatal. Although its exact cause is not completely understood, it is thought to be related to problems with a protein known as A-beta which has an unknown natural function. Alzheimer's disease can be difficult to diagnose while the patient is living because dementia can be caused by a variety of conditions.
Step 1
Do neuropsychological testing. This is designed to test a patient's ability to remember things, pay attention, solve problems, perform fine motor skills, make decisions and think abstractly. Alzheimer's disease typically causes certain characteristic deficits in these areas. The test involves a series of questions and tasks, and can take a few hours.
Step 2
Get a thorough medical and physical exam, as well as blood tests. There are a wide variety of conditions that can cause cognitive problems, including thyroid issues and the use of certain medications. Blood clots in the brain and other medical problems can also lead to Alzheimer's-like symptoms.
Step 3
Have an MRI of the brain performed. An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) can help rule out other conditions (such as a stroke) that can cause cognitive problems. Alzheimer's disease can also cause certain characteristic changes on the MRI, helping doctors diagnose the condition.
Step 4
Have other brain imaging done. PET scans work by detecting brain activity. Patients with Alzheimer's typically have reduced brain activity compared to normal brains. As of 2009, researchers are also working on developing special dyes (such as the Pittsburg B Compound) that can be given to a patient to enhance the sensitivity of MRIs. These compounds work by binding to the proteins that cause Alzheimer's and emitting a distinctive light signal, which can show up on a CT scan. Although the sensitivity of these tests still needs improvement, they represent new ways of detecting Alzheimer's disease.
Step 5
Have a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid taken. The cerebrospinal fluid surrounds your brain and spinal cord, and allows researchers to examine the environment around brain cells. Alzheimer's is thought to be caused by problems with a protein known as A-beta. Patients with Alzheimer's often have decreased levels of this protein, which can be detected using special lab assays to measure its concentration. Although this is not a standard test, ask your neurologist if this procedure is being done by him or any of his co-workers.
Step 6
Have a genetic test performed. Although not all neurologists will routinely order genetic testing, researchers have found that certain genes can cause someone to have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. One gene that has been linked with Alzheimer's is called the ApoE gene. Using a small blood test, researchers can determine what kind of ApoE gene you have and also test your relatives to see if they have a greater chance than normal of developing Alzheimer's.
