Shouldn't the diagnosis be dementia? I thought that Alzheimer's couldn't be accurately diagnosed until after death. Anybody?
Correct, my grandparetns initial diagnoses was dementia.
Apparently it can be diagnosed a good deal of the time by folks who know what they're doing.
You are correct--either a brain biopsy or findings at autopsy are the only CERTAIN ways to Dx Alzheimer's. With that being said, by ruling out other conditions that can present in similar ways (for example, multi-infarct dementia, a vascular disease), neurologists can accurately Dx Alzheimer's the great majority of the time.
As long as she can recognize people and take care of her own needs, etc., she's got mild dementia for the time being.
I guess she'll explain her status on Larry King.
I believe that's still correct. I think a lot of people use the terms interchangebly. I believe Alzheimer's generally shows symptoms much earlier in life than at her age.
My father's is for the most part memory-oriented things, so he's referred to as suffering "age-related dementia". Mom's is more imagining historical things totally wrong, erratic thought processes and a few other details - the doc has her taking an Alzheimer's drug (which may or may not help - who really knows??).
Shouldn't the diagnosis be dementia? I thought that Alzheimer's couldn't be accurately diagnosed until after death. Anybody?
**
I certainly am not knowledgeable about the subject, but I recall that an expert on TV once said that, with dementia, you forget where your car keys are, whereas, with Alzheimer's, you for get what your car keys are for.
From the below article it appears that there can be different causes for dementia, but the most common cause of dementia is from alzheimer's. It also appears that by brain scans they can determine Alzehimer's, so you don't have to die first in order to know.
Causes of dementia
The most common cause of dementia in older adults is Alzheimer's disease. A German doctor in 1906, Dr Alois Alzheimer, first described the disease. He described characteristic changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness.
Today still, the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is unknown. However, we know much more about what happens in the brain and a number of risk factors for the illness have also been identified. The disease process causes structural changes of brain matter and, associated with this, certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) also change
I think that strictly speaking, Alzheimers cannot be diagnosed until after death...at least that is what my moms doctor told me...he said, that she more than likely had Alzheimers, but for a certainty, she had a dementia...
I have worked in nursing homes for many years...and have taken care of many many dementia residents, some diagnosed as having Alzheimers, some diagnosed as have a resultant dementia that often comes with Parkinsons, and some having a dementia related to brain injuries, such as strokes...
Whatever the name of the particular illness or such that causes dementia, 'dementia', is a terrible thing...the persons body may be quite healthy, but the mind slowly drifts away...its a sad, sad, thing to live with, whether its the patient, or the family who must care for them...
My prayers are for Elizabeth Taylor and her family....