Diagnosis of Alzheimer

Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's disease?
Most people who develop Alzheimer's disease do so after the age of 65, but
people under this age can also develop it. This is called early-onset Alzheimer's
disease, a type of young-onset dementia. In the UK there are over 40,000 people
under the age of 65 with dementia.
Developing Alzheimer's disease is linked to a combination of factors, explained in
more detail below. Some of these risk factors (eg lifestyle) can be controlled, but
others (eg age and genes) cannot. For more information see factsheet 450, Am I
at risk of developing dementia?
Age
Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's. The disease mainly affects people
over 65. Above this age, a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease
doubles approximately every five years. One in six people over 80 have
dementia.
Gender
For reasons that are not clear, there are about twice as many women as men
over 65 with Alzheimer's disease. This difference is not fully explained by the fact
that women on average live longer than men. It may be that Alzheimer's in
women is linked to a lack of the hormone oestrogen after the menopause.
Genetic inheritance
Many people fear that the disease may be passed down to them from a parent or
grandparent. Scientists are investigating the genetic background to Alzheimer's.
There are a few families with a very clear inheritance of Alzheimer's from one
generation to the next. In such families the dementia tends to develop well
before age 65. However, Alzheimer's disease that is so strongly inherited is
extremely rare.
In the vast majority of people, the influence of genetics on risk of Alzheimer's
disease is much more subtle. A number of genes are known to increase or reduce
a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's. For someone with a close relative
(parent or sibling) who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when over 65, their own
risk of developing the disease is increased. However, this does not mean that
Alzheimer's is inevitable, and everyone can reduce their risk by living a healthy
lifestyle.
For more information see factsheet 405, Genetics of dementia.
People with Down's syndrome are at particular risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease, because of a difference in their genetic makeup. For more information
see factsheet 430, Learning disabilities and dementia.
Health and lifestyle
Medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart problems, as well as high
blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity in mid-life, are all known to increase
the risk of both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Anyone can reduce
their risk by keeping these under control. Depression is a probable risk factor for
dementia; getting it treated early is important.
People who adopt a healthy lifestyle, especially from mid-life onwards, are less
likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. This means taking regular physical exercise
and keeping to a healthy weight, not smoking, eating a healthy balanced diet
and drinking only in moderation.
Leading an active lifestyle that combines regular physical, social and mental
activity will help to lower risk.
Anyone who is concerned that they may have Alzheimer's disease (or any other
form of dementia) should seek help from their GP. If someone does have
dementia, an earlydiagnosis has many benefits: it provides an explanation for
the person's symptoms; it gives access to treatment, advice and support; and it
allows them to prepare for the future and plan ahead.
There is no single test for Alzheimer's disease. The GP will first need to rule out
conditions that can have similar symptoms, such as infections, vitamin and
thyroid deficiencies (from a blood test), depression and side effects of
medication.
The doctor will also talk to the person, and where possible someone who knows
them well, about their medical history and how their symptoms are affecting
their life. TheGP or a practice nurse may ask the person to do some tests of
mental abilities.
The GP may feel able to make a diagnosis of Alzheimer's at this stage. If not,
they will generally refer the person to a specialist. This could be an old-age
psychiatrist (who specialises in the mental health of older people) often based in
a memory service. Or it might be a geriatrician (who specialises in the physical
health of older people), a neurologist (who specialises in conditions of the brain
and nervous system) or a general adult psychiatrist (who specialises in mental
health in adults) in a hospital.
The specialist will assess the person's symptoms, and how they developed, in
more detail. In Alzheimer's disease there will usually have been a gradual
worsening of memory over several months. A family member may be more
aware of these changes than the person with suspected Alzheimer's is
themselves.
The person's memory, thinking and other mental abilities will also be assessed
further with a pen-and-paper test. When someone with Alzheimer's is tested,
they will often forget things quite quickly. They will often not be able to recall
them a few minutes later even when prompted.
The person may undergo a brain scan, which can show whether certain changes
have taken place in the brain. There are a number of different types of brain
scan. The most widely used are CT (computerised tomography) and MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging). A brain scan may rule out certain conditions such
as stroke, tumour or a build-up of fluid inside the brain. These can have
symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer's. It may also clarify the type of
dementia. In a person with early Alzheimer's disease a brain scan may show that
the hippocampus and surrounding brain tissue have shrunk.
The diagnosis should be communicated clearly to the person and usually also to
those closest to them, along with a discussion about the next steps. For more
information see factsheet 426, Assessment and diagnosis

Diagnosis of Alzheimer

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