Beginning of Diagnosis
When a person possesses many symptoms of Alzheimer’s they usually reach a point where they desperately need and therefore seek medical attention. First, CT scanning, PET scanning or MRI can be used to exclude any other brain disorders. Next, memory and writing tests may be done to assess the mental ability (Alzheimer’s Disease 2004).
Tactics of Diagnosis
There are a few diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s. There are blood tests that measure the increased expression of a protein in a white blood cell and positron-emission tomography to detect increased levels of enzymes in cerebrospinal fluid. There is also a test that
analyzes spinal fluid for biomarker signatures indicative of Alzheimer’s, which
helps diagnose someone early. Fluid for the test is collected from a spinal tap, and it
can identify people who are affected by mild cognitive impairment who are at
the greatest risk of the disease developing, so it gives time for intervention
strategies to delay it (Alzheimer Disease 2013). Some MRI findings diagnose the
disease, including abnormal insulin signaling in the brain. Instead of having
many insulin binds to insulin receptors to help the brain carry out functions,
neurons in brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease have very few insulin
receptors, resistant to the actions of insulin.
Also, hyperinsulinemia in the brain is suspected to stimulate
inflammation that stimulates formation of neuritic plaque. (Alzheimer Disease
2004.)
Cause or Consequence?
- Alzheimer's disease can be found in an autopsy by the presence of neuritic plaques and neurofibrilary tangles in the brain
- Neuritic plaques- deteriorating neuronal material that surround deposits of the protein beta-amyloid
- Not known if the plaques and tangles are a cause or a consequence of the disease
- (Alzheimer Disease.)