How Much Do You Know About Alzheimer's?
If someone you love has Alzheimer's disease, learning all you can about the disease can help you find the best treatments and care. To find out how much you know already, take this true-false quiz.
1. Alzheimer's disease is one of two of the most common types of dementia in older people.
True
False
2. An estimated 1 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's.
True
False
3. The disease usually begins after age 65, and the risk of it increases with age.
True
False
4. Alzheimer's disease involves only memory loss.
True
False
5. Early diagnosis of dementia is critical.
True
False
6. The course the disease takes and how fast changes occur are the same for every person who has it.
True
False
7. Doctors can diagnose probable Alzheimer's correctly 80 percent to 90 percent of the time.
True
False
8. Some of the tests used to determine if someone has the disease are neuropsychological tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting and language, and brain scans.
True
False
9. No treatment can stop or reverse Alzheimer's.
True
False
10. The major risk factors are age and family history.
True
False
The answers
1. True. The two most common forms of dementia in older people are Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia, which is sometimes called vascular dementia.
2. False. The Alzheimer's Association estimates more than 5 million Americans age 65 or older, have Alzheimer's. Nearly half of those over age 85 have it. Unless a cure or prevention is found, the number will jump to 11 to 16 million by 2050.
3. True. Fewer than 10 percent of cases occur in people younger than 65. About 3 percent of people ages 65 to 74 have the disease, and it may strike nearly half of those ages 85 and older.
4. False. Besides memory loss, symptoms of Alzheimer's include these warning signs, according to the Alzheimer's Association: difficulty performing familiar tasks; problems with language; disorientation with time and place; poor or decreased judgment; misplacing things; changes in mood or behavior; changes in personality; and loss of initiative.
5. True. Early diagnosis can determine whether the dementia is Alzheimer's or another dementia or problems due to a medical condition that can be treated and reversed. These types of dementia include those caused by a medication, a vitamin deficiency and thyroid problems. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's can help improve the quality of life, by treating the disease with drugs that can slow the progression of the illness and give the person time to plan for his or her future.
6. False. It varies from person to person.
7. True. There are no specific tests for Alzheimer's, so often the diagnosis is made by noting the group of symptoms while ruling out other causes. Doctors can use several diagnostic tools to help rule out other illnesses such as thyroid problems, depression and brain tumor.
8. True. Doctors also obtain a thorough medical history of the patient to help make the diagnosis.
9. True. New drugs are available that appear to help maintain function, control behavior problems and treat depression associated with Alzheimer's.
10. True. Researchers are also exploring other possible risk factors, including diet, environment and viruses, to see if they play any role in Alzheimer's.