Alzheimer's Disease: Differentiating Dementia From Normal Memory Loss

As we age, we are more susceptible to disease and ultimately death . Perhaps the most feared disease is descent into Alzheimer's disease . At age 85 , it is estimated that half of all Americans have signs of the disease. Fears have increased disorder spreads news. The death of Ronald Reagan Alzheimer 's highlighted our vulnerability and helped bring more confusion in the public view.

Cliff , one year old , the 67 year old active man , was referred to me to help you overcome the belief that it was developing a rapid onset and disease of early Alzheimer's. The first time he became aware of his condition there about six months ago and grew to its present stage "advanced" . He had become depressed when they perceive that their memory declined rapidly despite the psychological tests and clinical neurological assessment said it was normal for her age. He was obsessed by the fear of his descent into the abyss Alzheimer's, according to his own words. " My memory is so bad, I know that this is the beginning of Alzheimer's disease , no matter what you told me otherwise. "

I was afraid that her memory loss would lose control of his life. He worried about the impact of the decline in memory on your day's activities , the effect on his family, including his wife and his fear of having a shorter life . I gave many examples of things that you forget to do , how to keep objects lost and forgotten appointments . "No matter what tricks I use I always forget where I put my keys . "

I did some clinical trials have indicated that his memory was fully intact, which immediately told me Cliff. These tests are simple to make , as shown:

• I asked Cliff to elaborate on what he said ten minutes before determining if he remembered the subject and the discussion above .

• I asked to see if my memory was intact to see if I could repeat five to seven figures I give . Deliberately made ​​a mistake to see if he caught it. It would be immediately apparent if I knew my mistake , and I should also remember the numbers.

• Reverse the procedure and asked him to repeat another set of numbers that I gave .

• I gave a series of names and told to remember because I would ask you to remember later.

Advanced Test :

If anxiety interferes with the tests and if you need more assurance that he was not senile , who performed an additional test to demonstrate the intangibility of memory.

I gave Cliff a list of frequently called numbers such as social security , education , phone number, driver's license , phone number, best friend, business phone , etc. and asked to select one for I can check the number memory back. Which tested both their removal from the list and also the selection of a preset number you well know . What did he know that his memory has been chosen to be fairly intact , otherwise you would not have agreed to the list.

In addition, the repetition of a well-known return is usually not difficult , but requires an intact memory. I assured him that my objective assessment indicated that his memory was normal again.

If the test indicates a real possibility of mental retardation would not be necessary to test brain function , whether performed by a neurologist or geriatrician .

You can use these tests to assess their fears of losing his memory. Although Alzheimer's disease is quite common when we reach our eighties many people live into their nineties and beyond the intact brain function. His goal is to live the best possible based on your current mood .

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