Dementia Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

They often begin mildly and progress over time. Symptoms vary according to the cause of the dementia, but often include:

• Increasing trouble remembering things, such as:
  • How to get to familiar locations
  • What the names of family and friends are
  • Where common objects are usually kept
  • How to do simple math
  • How to do usual tasks, such as cooking, dressing, bathing, etc.
  • How to drive
  • How to pay bills
• Having difficulty concentrating on tasks
• Having difficulty completing sentences due to lost/forgotten words (may progress to complete inability to speak)
• Forgetting the date, time of day, season
• Getting lost in familiar surroundings
• Having mood swings
• Being withdrawn, losing interest in usual activities
• Having personality changes
• Walking in a slow, shuffling way
• Having poor coordination
• Losing purposeful movement

Diagnosis

Doctors diagnose dementia by:

• Getting an extensive medical history from you and your family
• Closely observing you
• Doing a physical and neurological exam
• Doing mental status and psychological tests

There are no blood tests or exams that can definitively diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Certain types of brain imaging such as a SPECT or a PET scan may aid in a diagnosis. Tests to rule out other causes of dementia and other medical conditions that may mimic dementia include:

• Blood tests for syphilis , vitamin B12 , folate , thyroid, liver, and kidney function
• CT scan —a type of x-ray that uses a computer to make pictures of structures inside the head
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic waves to make pictures of structures inside the head
• PET or SPECT scans—tests that use dyes to measure the activity levels of various areas of the brain (used in some cases)
• Lumbar puncture —a test of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the lower back; may be done to look for infection or bleeding
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) —a test that records the brain's activity by measuring electrical signals from the brain

The doctor will also check to see if you have depression . It can often present like dementia.