Causes
Age – increasing age is the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
Family history and genetics
Down syndrome – many people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer's disease.
Mild cognitive impairment – it is a decline in memory or other thinking skills that is greater than what would be expected for a person's age.
Past head trauma
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is based on tests your doctor administers to assess memory and thinking skills.
Tests:
Physical and neurological exam - testing the following reflexes, muscle tone and strength, ability to get up from a chair and walk across the room, sense of sight and hearing, coordination, balance
Lab tests – blood test
Mental status and neuropsychological testing
Brain imaging - Magnetic resonance imaging, Computerized tomography
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