You should visit your GP if you think that you may have Alzheimer’s disease. They will want to know about any new or worsening problems that you have noticed. For example:
- forgetfulness
- not understanding what people say
- changes in your behaviour
- difficulty with everyday activities
Similar conditions
Alzheimer's disease can be a difficult condition to diagnose because the symptoms can be similar to those of other health conditions. For example, the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may be confused with:
- a vitamin deficiency: where there is not enough of one of the vitamins that your body needs to function
- thyroid problems: your thyroid gland is in your neck and produces hormones (powerful chemicals)
- an infection
- anxiety
- a brain tumour: a growth of cells in your brain
- depression
Tests
There is no basic test for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease, so the diagnosis is usually based on ruling out other conditions. You may have blood tests and a physical examination to rule out other medical conditions that could be causing your symptoms.
If your GP suspects Alzheimer's disease, you may also be given a brain scan, which will look for changes in your brain. This could be:
See Dementia - diagnosis for more information about the different tests that you might have.
Referral
Your GP may refer you to a specialist to help with the diagnosis. For example, you may be referred to:
- a clinical psychologist: a healthcare professional who specialises in the assessment and treatment of mental health conditions
- a psychiatrist: a qualified medical doctor who has further training in treating mental health conditions
- a neurologist: a specialist in treating conditions that affect the nervous system (the brain and spinal cord)
Your specialist may carry out some tests to assess your memory and thinking skills. One example is explained below.
Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)
The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a test that is sometimes used to assess the severity of Alzheimer’s disease. MMSE cannot provide a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease on its own, but it may help determine the treatment you should receive.
MMSE can be used to assess a number of different mental abilities including:
- short- and long-term memory
- attention span
- concentration
- language and communication skills
- ability to plan
- ability to understand instructions
The MMSE test consists of a series of tasks such as:
- memorising a short list of objects and then repeating the list back
- writing a short sentence that is grammatically correct, such as ‘the dog sat on the floor’
- correctly indentifying the current day of the week, followed by the date, the month, the season and the year
The maximum score for the MMSE is 30. A score of 30 is classed as normal, but any less than 30 and you may have Alzheimer’s disease. The lower your score, the more severe your condition is. Alzheimer’s disease is classified as follows:
- mild: MMSE score of between 21 and 26
- moderate: MMSE score of between 10 and 20
- moderately severe: MMSE score of between 10 and 14
- severe: MMSE score of less than 10
MMSE might not be the most suitable way of assessing the severity of your Alzheimer’s disease, in which case it may not be used, or it may be used alongside other tests. Factors that may affect your MMSE score will be taken into consideration, for example:
- if you have learning difficulties
- if the test is not available in a language that you can speak fluently
Confirmed diagnosis
It may take several appointments with your GP and specialist before a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be confirmed.
If you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, your GP or specialist may recommend that the diagnosis is shared with your family or your carers. However, this will only be done with your permission.
