Common symptoms include memory loss, confusion, disorientation, mood and personality changes, and intellectual impairment. Although a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease requires a brain tissue autopsy , it is not necessary to wait until after death to know with some certainty what is causing the disturbing symptoms and behaviors that accompany dementia. A clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease includes a complete patient and family history, a physical examination, laboratory tests, assessment of drug usage, neurological examination, psychiatric assessment and neurological testing. Both the accuracy and availability of clinical diagnosis have improved a great deal in recent years. The results of several research studies have shown that clinical diagnoses are 81-88 percent accurate when matched with patients' autopsy reports.
Clinical diagnosis offers a number of benefits.
First, it will pinpoint dementia caused by potentially reversible conditions, such as drug reactions, tumors, infections, thyroid problems or nutritional deficiencies. In some cases, when these conditions are treated the dementia may go away. It is important to remember that even reversible conditions, if left undetected and therefore untreated, can cause permanent damage. Second, in instances when the dementia is irreversible, clinical diagnosis also will be able to identify the presence of other medical problems, which may be compounding the Alzheimer's disease or other irreversible dementia, but which can be treated. The quality of life for the patient can be greatly enhanced if treatable conditions are controlled.