When is oblivion for a normal part of aging and when is something more serious? If he is greater and has notable changes in his memory, he can be worried about Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a severe brain disorder that affects thought and memory skills, as well as the ability to complete daily activities and take care of itself.
If you worry, the first step is to talk to your family doctor. They will complete a complete evaluation of their health and cognitive skills to determine whether their symptoms are a normal part of aging or the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease.
The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is a process of several steps. Here is a guide for what you can expect.
How Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed
Talk to your doctor, clearly indicate your concerns and describe your symptoms.
For example, you can say: «I have noticed changes in my memory and thought. I am concerned that this is an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.» Be as specific as possible to give your doctor a clear understanding of your concerns.
Explore possible causes
Your doctor can help rule out other reversible causes and discuss risk factors. Your supplier can ask about:
- Lifestyle: Factors such as stress, depression, sleep quality and alcohol consumption that could affect your memory. Certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as tertiary syphilis or other chronic infections, can imitate Alzheimer’s disease, so it is worth mentioning a sexual history or history of any infection.
- Health conditions: Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about existing health conditions or injuries that could provide clues. This could include a routine blood analysis to verify if there are deficiencies of vitamins or thyroid levels, which can affect brain function. Your doctor can also explore other brain -related conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease or traumatic brain injury (LCT).
- Medications: Be prepared to give your doctor a complete list of all prescription and free sale medications you are taking.
- Genetics: Your doctor will ask you about any relative with dementia and any other health information that can help your supplier to understand potential risks.
- Other circumstances: Researchers have determined that certain things can increase the risk of a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. These include hearing loss and depression. There are treatments for both conditions. Be sure to talk to your doctor about these important treatments.
Discuss detection options and cognitive evaluations
Your doctor can perform a brief test in the office that includes questions and tasks to evaluate memory, attention and language skills. Your doctor can send it to a doctor who specializes in the care of older adults or a neurologist who specializes in the treatment of brain diseases and the nervous system.
Explore blood biomarkers
Your doctor may recommend a blood analysis to detect certain Alzheimer’s biomarkers (substances in the body that can be measured to help diagnose or predict a disease). This rapid and minimally invasive test can be ordered based on symptoms or to better understand its probability of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Discuss images
Cerebral image tests such as magnetic resonance (a non -invasive exploration that uses magnetic waves), computerized tomography (a non -invasive exploration that combines X -rays and computer images), or PET (positron emission tomography) that can be useful to verify changes in the structure of the brain.
Your doctor can repeat these tests to give them updated information about how their memory and other cognitive functions change over time. This also gives your doctor important information about how well the treatments work.
Treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease
If the diagnosis is from Alzheimer’s, starting treatment as soon as possible can help preserve daily functioning for a while. An early diagnosis also helps families plan. They can deal with financial and legal matters, address possible security problems, learn about housing arrangements and develop support networks.
In addition, an early diagnosis gives people more opportunities to participate in clinical trials or studies that prove possible new treatments for Alzheimer’s. There are currently several medications approved by the Food and Medicines Administration (FDA) to delay the disease or to address specific symptoms.
Some of these medications change the underlying biology of the cognitive and functional decrease of Alzheimer’s and cognitive and functional slow in some individuals. Some have been approved to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Drug addictionCrateing to reduce Alzheimer’s disease
Your doctor can inform you about current medications that change the underlying biology of the disease. Some drugs have side effects, so be sure to talk to your doctor about them. Researchers continue to explore and develop new medications and try them in clinical trials. It is important to talk to your doctor about the available clinical trials that could benefit it.
Current approaches to administer Cognitive and behavioral symptoms
The FDA has approved some medications to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. These symptoms include cognitive difficulties, agitation and insomnia. Drugs do not change the underlying brain changes that cause Alzheimer’s, or decrease or stop the course of the disease. Instead, they treat symptoms by increasing the amount of chemicals (called neurotransmitters) in the brain. Neurotransmitters help brain cells to communicate with each other.
Treatments can change over time, so it is important to see your doctor regularly and inform any change in their symptoms or progression of the disease. Caregivers and loved ones can help you maintain a diary of their symptoms and changes over time.
