Is Alzheimer’s disease hereditary and how is it diagnosed?


Written by Nahir Abdel Nabi

Thursday, April 13, 2023 12:00 AM

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder and is the most common form of dementia among older adults. disorder Showing symptoms in the mid-sixties.

And according to what was mentioned by the healthy site, men and women with mild cognitive impairment may be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia than individuals who do not suffer from it, and symptoms usually start mild, but become more noticeable as the disease progresses. In “memory, visual perception, focus, exposure to depression and anxiety”.

Is Alzheimer’s disease hereditary?

Although the genes you inherit from your parents can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers say that rarely, Alzheimer’s disease is caused by mutations (defects) passed directly from parent to child. These conditions often include early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, It is an uncommon type that appears before the age of 65.

Alzheimer’s disease caused by genetic mutations accounts for between 7 and 12 percent of all cases of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and less than 1 percent of all Alzheimer’s cases, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?

There is no single test for Alzheimer’s that can determine whether a person has the disease. Instead, doctors may use a number of diagnostic methods:

Medical history

Physical examination and diagnostic tests

Neurological exam

Mental status tests

Mind fantasies

Medical history

Health care practitioners ask about current and past illnesses and medications, and inquire about health problems affecting family members, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

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Physical examination and diagnostic tests

Doctors listen to the heart and lungs and examine other relevant areas. They may also collect blood and urine samples for lab tests and perform additional evaluations to help identify illnesses (such as depression, untreated sleep apnea, delirium, deficiencies of certain vitamins, side effects of medications, thyroid problems, and excessive alcohol intake) that may cause dementia-like symptoms.

Neurological exam

A neurological exam that tests strength, sensation, reflexes, and eye movements can evaluate medical conditions that may lead to memory and cognition impairments, such as strokes or Parkinson’s disease .

Mental status tests

This test evaluates memory, ability to solve simple problems, and other cognitive skills. During the so-called test Mini Cog For example, the person is asked to remember and, after a few minutes, repeat the names of three common things. The doctor will also ask questions to determine if the person has a mood disorder that could be causing symptoms that mimic Alzheimer’s dementia..

Mind fantasies

A brain scan, such as an MRI, may be used (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) to rule out the presence of a tumor or other abnormality that may be responsible for Alzheimer’s-like symptoms.






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