Diagnosis
Today the only way to make a definite diagnosis of dementia of Alzheimer’s is through the identification of amyloid plaques in brain tissue, possible only with an autopsy after the death of the patient. This means that during the course of the disease can only make a diagnosis of Alzheimer ‘possible’ or ‘probable’. For this reason, doctors use various tests:
* Clinical examinations, such as blood, urine or spinal fluid;
* Neuropsychological tests to measure memory, problem solving, the degree of attention, the ability to count and dialogue;
* Tac brain to identify any possible sign of abnormality;
* These tests allow the doctor to rule out other possible causes that lead to similar symptoms, such as thyroid problems, adverse reactions to drugs, depression, brain tumors, but also diseases of the blood vessels of the brain.
As in other neurodegenerative diseases, early diagnosis is very important because it offers the possibility of treating some symptoms of the disease, both because it allows the patient to plan the future, when it is still capable of making decisions. (more…)
