| Alzheimer's disease gets its name from Alois | | | | a clock and to put the numbers in their appropriate |
| Alzheimerwho was born in Southern Germany in 1864. | | | | locations. The patient is then instructed to draw |
| Dr Alzheimer first described the disease in 1906 after | | | | specific hours on the clock, i.e. 3:00 or 11:15. |
| performing an autopsy on the brain of one of his | | | | 2) Mini-Mental State Examination - The MMSE is a |
| patients. Dr. Alzheimer discovered that the brain had | | | | brief test that measures the cognitive status in adults. |
| virtually turned to a "sticky goop" with abnormal clumps | | | | Part of the tests asks the patient a series of questions |
| and tangled bundles of fibers. | | | | that are considered basic information concerning their |
| Today, these plaques and tangles in the brain are | | | | surroundings. For example: the patient may be asked |
| considered signs of Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Alzheimer | | | | to name three household items that are in the room. |
| had been treating the patient for a mental disorder that | | | | After the patient responds, the questions are |
| he described as "madness" but realized that the brain | | | | continued. |
| of the patient had literally been destroyed. | | | | Then the reviewer may asks the patient again to |
| One hundred years later, researchers and medical | | | | name the original 3 household item. Sometimes the |
| science have not determined a definitive cause for | | | | patient is asked to count backwards. The person is |
| Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a progressive brain | | | | asked to name the three objects again.. The test is |
| disorder that destroys a person's memory and | | | | intended to screen for cognitive impairment and |
| eventually hampers the person's ability to learn, reason, | | | | estimate the severity of their mental impairment. |
| make judgments, communicate or carry out basic daily | | | | 3) Functional Assessment Staging Test (FAST) - |
| activities. | | | | involves a checklist of functions required for daily living. |
| Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. | | | | The test evaluates the changes in functional |
| Dementia describes a group of conditions that | | | | performance. |
| gradually destroy brain cells and lead to a progressive | | | | The person providing the test has a checklist of |
| decline in mental function. | | | | required activities and will "Check "Yes" if a |
| People within the targeted age group who begin to | | | | characteristic is present. If problems are due to other |
| feel that something may be wrong with their memory | | | | causes apart from dementia (i.e., arthritis, paralysis or |
| should immediately see their family doctor. There are | | | | other disabilities, this will be noted) The reviewer will |
| diagnostic test and tools that Neurologist can use to | | | | check "No" and note these other causes next to the |
| determine whether or not a person has Alzheimer's | | | | characteristic. |
| disease. | | | | The information is evaluated and the factors weighed. |
| If the doctor determines that there is some dementia, a | | | | The information learned from these tests helps |
| referral to a specialist in neurology or a geriatric | | | | determine whether a person has Alzheimer's disease |
| specialist may be provided. Since there are several | | | | with an accuracy rate of about 90 percent. |
| types of dementia, a specialist may be needed to | | | | It is important for older individuals to get tested when |
| eliminate the other types of dementia to make a | | | | signs of dementia are present. Early testing can |
| determination for Alzheimer's. | | | | identify the problem and may eliminate Alzheimer's as |
| Some of the diagnosis tests given to patients to | | | | the cause of lapses of memory. Some prescription |
| diagnose Alzheimer's include: | | | | medications may cause similar symptoms. |
| 1) A clock drawing test. - The patient is asked to draw | | | | |