He or she will do a comprehensive neurological assessment looking for symptoms specific to Alzheimer s disease. The goal of the specialist will be to begin the process to discover the problem and its causes. Next the patient should undergo a mental status exam. The person with the problem, e.g., your loved one, will be asked a series of questions to determine if, in fact, there is memory impairment and it s degree. In the course of the examination, the doctor will also be observing how your family member behaves and interacts with him or her.
Subtle clues tell important stories to trained professionals.
There will be lots of questions, all designed to accrue data that will result in an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer s or another illness. They will now likely be interested in a closer examination of what may be going on inside, that is, the brain. Not all dementia-like symptoms result in a diagnosis of Alzheimer s disease. Our special thanks to Dr. Geri Richards Hall, Dr. Juergan Bludau and Elizabeth Prince for their help in writing this article. 1 Only a few years ago Alzheimer s was diagnosed by exclusion, that is, eliminating all other possibilities, leaving a diagnosis of Probable Alzheimer s. 2 Many times the initial assessment, physical exam, etc., are performed by a family practitioner or internist who, if the case is not complicated, can manage without difficulty.