The Diagnosis Of AlzheimerS Is A Very Important Step Within

The diagnosis of Alzheimer s is a very important step within the disease. Diagnosing Alzheimer’s could potentially alleviate the symptoms and slow down the disease if treated properly. Tests used in diagnosing the disease are: The MMSE test, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), CT and MRI scans.The Mini Mental State Exam is commonly used to diagnose different types of dementia. The Mini Mental State Exam is commonly used for complaints of memory problems with older individuals â€Å"The MMSE tests a number of different mental abilities, including a person s memory, attention and language† (Richardson). This test is only the start to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease; the MMSE test could also be used by general physician to evaluate the severity of†¦show more content†¦Many people diagnosed with Alzheimer s experience â€Å"aberrant motor behavior.† Aberrant motor behavior is unusual/irregular behavior from a person, also considered not normal. The perso n may have unusual sexual behaviors, with aberrant motor behavior. Doctors need a sure way to diagnose the disease in order for treatment or studies are done on these people. The diagnosis is an autopsy of brain tissue examined under a microscope. In addition, medical history, a physical exam, and mental status tests are used for diagnosis. Often, tests are done to rule out other potential causes of the dementia. This allows the identification of other causes of thinking and behavioral changes to be made before concluding that the patient has Alzheimer’s disease or any other form of dementia. The tests that are requested to be done include a CT and MRI scan to rule out strokes or brain tumors which could account for changes in memory and behavior. Sundowning in Alzheimer’s is a common symptom with the disease. Sundowning has been used to describe the reversal of day and night which occurs when a person has Alzheimer’s Disease (Sorrentino). When a person is impacted with sundowning they are often called â€Å"sundowners.† Sundowners will often stay up all night and doze off during the day. When a person has sundowning syndrome his or her attitude and behaviors change drastically when the sun goes down, often confusing the person. The person may seem alert and competent, butShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease Is The Most Common Form Of Dementia1684 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which slowly and steadily impairs the mental function and psychological competence. Even though there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, current treatment patterns and research aim to delay the progression towards dementia and the associated symptoms. The strongest risk factor for this disease is increased age, typically seen in individuals over the age of 65, but it must be noted that Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of the aging process. AlzheimerRead MoreEssay on Alzheimers Disease1236 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, is a disease that afflicts more than 4 million older citizens in the US. Alzheimers is a degenerative neurological disorder that leads to impairments in memory, thinking and reasoning. AD is the most common cause of dementia in older people, and mainly affects people 65 and over. Within the last few years, there have been drugs that can temporarily treat the patients, but it remains a form of dementia that is irreversible. The disease is very hardRead More Alzheimers Disease Essay1068 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer’s Disease nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is the lost of thinking, remembering and reasoning so bad it screws up ability to do daily functions and eventually resolves in death. Dr. Alois Alzheimer’s first discovered the disease in 1906. Since then research has developed a deeper understanding ofRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1257 Words   |  6 Pages Alzheimer’s in its Full Effect Alzheimer’s disease is named after German physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes that happened in the brain tissue of Auguste D., who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. So, what exactly is Alzheimer’s? It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplestRead MoreBrain Disorder: Alzheimer ´s Disease Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimers disease is a progressive brain disorder, which damages and yet destroys brain cells, leading to changes in thinking, memory loss, behavioral problems, and other brain functions. Alzheimer’s is an inherited or genetic disease, meaning that it is a medical disease, which runs within the family, caused by the changes in the genes that are passed from one generation to another. Alzheimer’s is the most commo n form of dementia, a widespread term for memory loss and other intellectual abilitiesRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Frontotemporal Dementia995 Words   |  4 Pagesaffected regions of the brain to shrink and ultimately leads to death; death usually occurs within five to ten years of the onset of symptoms (Mayo Clinic, 2014; Kring Johnson, 2015). The symptoms that do arise can be quite similar to other forms of Dementia, but there are distinct differences that set FTD apart. The major symptom of Frontotemporal Dementia is the key to its differentiation from Alzheimer’s and other forms of Dementia. Unlike all other subcategories, FTD patients do not typicallyRead MoreTaking a Look at Alzheimers Disease1015 Words   |  4 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative of the brain that causes dementia, which is a loss in memory. Besides it being a neurodegenerative disease, many other conditions can cause dementia. Another kind of dementia is nutritional dementia, also called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, or another which is alcohol syndrome, and it is caused by a lack of vitamin B1. Alzheimer’s disease usually appears in people over sixty-five years old. However, some cases of Alzheimer’s disease can happen at an earlyRead MoreThe Mystery Of Alzheimer s Disease1537 Words   |  7 Pages Mystery Alzheimer’s Maury Lemons Nur 203 Midland University 16 October, 2015 Mystery Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. The purpose of this paper is to discuss medical definition, etiology, signs and symptoms, stages of disease progression, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is Ultimately fatal. Medical Definition. Alzheimer sRead MoreCell Phone Radiation May Help Alzheimers Disease Essay1569 Words   |  7 Pagesdiagnosed with Alzheimers disease and in a startling new report out today from the Alzheimers Association, predicts that one out of every eight baby boomers-- or almost 10 milllion Americans – is expected to develop this disease, (Mckenzie). The University of South Florida has led a study along with the Alzheimers Disease Research Center which has abandoned the idea that cell phone radiation is detrimental to our health. The experiment studied the effects of cell phones on Alzheimers. Professor ArendashRead MoreEssay on A Cure for Alzheimers1614 Words   |  7 PagesA Cure for Alzheimers In February of 2000, I lost my grandmother to Alzheimers disease. She was diagnosed with the disease just less than two years prior to her death. Throughout that time, I watched changes in my grandmother that made her seem like an entirely different woman to me. She gradually began losing her short-term memory and we began to see signs of her long-term memory degrading too. It began to get harder and harder to take her out into public without being afraid of