Better Mental Health for Older People
IPA - AD Diagnosis - Guide to the Diagnosis and Assessment of Alzheimer's Disease - Table of Contents

A Guide to the Diagnosis and Assessment of Alzheimer's Disease

 

 

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section 1
Differentiating Alzheimer's disease from other forms of dementia

___ Definition of the dementia syndrome
Differential diagnosis of dementia
  • Aging and cognitive decline
  • Dementia, delirium, depression and drugs
Causes of the dementia syndrome
  • Reversible dementia syndrome
  • Irreversible dementia syndrome
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Other dementias

Section 2
Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in primary care

___ Case-finding for cognitive impairment
Clinical history
  • Patient and caregiver interview
  • Caregiver input
  • Answering questions
Physical examination
Laboratory tests
Functional assessment
  • Primary care functional assessment
Cognitive assessment
  • Primary care cognitive assessment
Neuroimaging
  • Static or structural imaging
Biological markers

Section 3
Alzheimer's disease in primary care ­ the diagnostic process

___ The primary care physician and AD
  • The diagnostic process
  • Assessment tools
  • A systematic approach to diagnosis
  • The management of AD

Case Study
A case study in AD: presentation, diagnosis and management  

Appendix 1
Diagnostic criteria for AD

Appendix 2
Primary care case-finding assessments

Appendix 3
Standardized Mini Mental State Examination (SMMSE) ­ directions for use

Appendix 4
Clock draw test

Appendix 5
Dynamic (functional) neuroimaging

References

 
IPA
Developed from scientific presentations at a special IPA meeting.
Sponsored by an educational grant from Pfizer Inc and Eisai Ltd.		 PFIZER   EISAI
©1997 Pfizer, Inc and Eisai Ltd.

Copyright 2008 International Psychogeriatric Association