online Alzheimer test...

[Showbags]

Anyone know if there is an online test for early signs of alzheimers ?

[Showbags]

I was wondering this myself...anyone know ?

[chiang mai]

Know what?

[GentlemanJim]

It's about 4.30 on my watch.

[benalibina]

Yes, i think you can.....what was the question again ?

[Jingthing]

What was the question?

Just kidding.

Good question.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Jingthing

[phuketandsee]

You know the good thing about Alzheimer's? You keep meeting interesting new people

[Mosha]

Is the OP asking for himself or fro a family member? If your family has a history of Alzheimer's,then your chances of developing the disease are significantly increased. My dad and 2 of his siblings all had it. If your dad was over 40 when you were conceived, then your risk is increased.

[Mosha]

I was wondering this myself...anyone know ?

http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/p/test-your-memory-for-alzheimers-5-best.html

[Showbags]

I couldn't sleep last night, can't remember though.

My Dad was not over 40.....Do not remember any family members having it...but that could be telling....grandma had diabetes and a stroke and did not function well, much like Alz, but twas the stroke mostly as the cause.

[Sheryl]

There is no "test" for early Alzheimers per se (let alone one online -- online health related tests almost always being if dubious utility). But you can find a list if early signs here:

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp

There is no way to "score" them though, and for some people, some of those signs may be perfectly normal, at least to a degree. In addition, some increase in those tendencies is normal as part of the ageing process. So it is a matter of degree and also of what the "norm" for a particular individual was.

A neurologist can perform tests of cognitive function but in early stages the initial test cannot conclude anything, it just provides a baseline so that subsequent tests can show if there has been a decline in excess of what mere aging can account for. The reason a single test cannot be scored (unless the person already has full fledged dementia) is that there is no one "normal" -- people vary enormously. Some are by nature, all their lives, very forgetful/absent-minded, some not at all.

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's is that it is relentlessly progressive. If someone has it, they will get steadily worse, although the pace may vary. If say a year later a person is no more forgetful than they were the year before (or, in an elderly person, the change is small and consistent with normal ageing effects) then Alzheimers or other degenerative neurlogical disease is unlikely.

And as the disease progresses the diagnosis, which is usually just tentative at first, becomes more certain (assuming other causes have been excluded).

It is important to understand that not all dementia is Alzheimers, there are other causes, some treatable, some not. So a thorough medical evaluation -- by a neurologist specializing in dementia -- is warranted if there is concern about decline in mental function or changes in personality.

At this point in time, Alzheimers is a diagnosis of exclusion: a degree of dementia must be documented (which as noted, needs in the early stages usually at least 2 separate tests say 6 -12 months apart) and then other causes excluded.

There is a lot of progress being made now in understanding the causes and physical changes associated with Alzheimers and hopefully we will see definitive diagnostic tests (and treatments) in the not too distant future but as yet, not.

[uptheos]

You know the good thing about Alzheimer's? You keep meeting interesting new people

Gallows humor is typically made by the victim of such a situation.

[Tolley]

There is no "test" for early Alzheimers per se (let alone one online -- online health related tests almost always being if dubious utility). But you can find a list if early signs here:

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp

There is no way to "score" them though, and for some people, some of those signs may be perfectly normal, at least to a degree. In addition, some increase in thsose tendencies is normal as part of the ageing process. So it is a matter of degree and also of what the "norm" for a particular individual was.

A neurologist can perform tests of cognitive function but in early stages the initial test cannot conclude anything, it just provides a baseline so that subsequent tests can show if there has been a decline in excess of what mere aging can account for. The reason a single test cannot be scored (unless the person already has full fledged dementia) is that there is no one "normal" -- people vary enormously. Some are by nature, all their lives, very forgetful/absent-minded, some not at all.

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's is that it is relentless progressive. If someone has it, they will get steadily worse, although the pace may vary. If say a year later a person is no more forgetful than they were the year before (or, in an elderly person, the change is small and consistent with normal ageing effects) then that is very suggestive of some sort of neurological disease. And as the disease progresses the diagnosis, which is usually just tentative at first, becomes more certain (assuming other causes have been excluded).

It is important to understand that not all dementia is Alzheimers, there are other causes, some treatable, some not. So a thorough medical evaluation -- by a neurologist specializing in dementia -- is warranted if there is concern about decline in mental function or changes in personality.

At this point in time, Alzheimers is a diagnosis of exclusion: a degree of dementia must be documented (which as noted, needs in the early stages usually at least 2 separate tests say 6 -12 months apart) and then other causes excluded.

There is a lot of progress being made now in understanding the causes and physical changes associated with Alzheimers and hopefully we will see definitive diagnostic tests (and treatments) in the not too distant future but as yet, not.

My aunty has it and only just got it recently and has gone downhill fast.

She was assessed both by doctors and health care workers but she is still at the stage where she knows she is getting it and is very frustrated by it.

Still the decline has been rapid and it may not be long before she has to go into an assisted care facility.

There is an epidemic in the west of old people with mental disorders.

[Sheryl]

One thing I forgot to mention - early onset Alzheimers (defined as onset between the ages of 30 - 60) is often genetic in cause and there are genetic tests available which can indicate risk. Only indicated if you have a close relative who developed full fledged Alzheimers prior to age 60.

Late onset Alzheimers (the more common type) is different.

[Showbags]

My aunty has it and only just got it recently and has gone downhill fast.

She was assessed both by doctors and health care workers but she is still at the stage where she knows she is getting it and is very frustrated by it.

Still the decline has been rapid and it may not be long before she has to go into an assisted care facility.

There is an epidemic in the west of old people with mental disorders.

Yes, and its amazing how some of them still get on the plane to get to Pattaya.

[Mosha]

You know the good thing about Alzheimer's? You keep meeting interesting new people

Gallows humor is typically made by the victim of such a situation.

The victims are the other family members caring for and aged parent.Koreans call it "The long goodbye". My auntie woke up one morning not knowing her husband of 50 years.

[uptheos]

You know the good thing about Alzheimer's? You keep meeting interesting new people

Gallows humor is typically made by the victim of such a situation.

The victims are the other family members caring for and aged parent.Koreans call it "The long goodbye". My auntie woke up one morning not knowing her husband of 50 years.

Agreed. I refer to the 'victim of the situation', i.e.the person with Alzheimers or relatives. I don't like jokes about Alzheimer's, I've seen too much devastation from it in my lifetime. I realise in most cases it is Gallows humour i.e. the person making the joke is probably being affected in some way by Altzheimers.

Thankfully, it doesn't have history in my family, but that doesn't make me immune.

[Sheryl]

My father had it, just died of it 2 years ago.

He never recognized that he did and on the whole rarely suffered because of it, just occasionally anxious due to confusion but most of the time happy as a clam, indeed happier than he had ever been while healthy. Among other things, he was never bored...could watch the same TV show over and over and over again. And if anything bad happened or he had anything he needed to worry about, he forgot it instantly.

But it was hell on the rest of us.

[Dogberry]

My father had it, just died of it 2 years ago.

He never recognized that he did and on the whole rarely suffered because of it, just occasionally anxious due to confusion but most of the time happy as a clam, indeed happier than he had ever been while healthy. Among other things, he was never bored...could watch the same TV show over and over and over again. And if anything bad happened or he had anything he needed to worry about, he forgot it instantly.

But it was hell on the rest of us.

Peaceful would be a blessing. My Auntie became a mean and hateful woman. It was a terrible thing to witness and pure hell for the family.

[Showbags]

So...where were we...

[NancyL]

My father had it, just died of it 2 years ago.

He never recognized that he did and on the whole rarely suffered because of it, just occasionally anxious due to confusion but most of the time happy as a clam, indeed happier than he had ever been while healthy. Among other things, he was never bored...could watch the same TV show over and over and over again. And if anything bad happened or he had anything he needed to worry about, he forgot it instantly.

But it was hell on the rest of us.

Sheryl, do you think he had Alzheimer's or another type of dementia? My dad was the same way and we never had him tested, but thought his dementia was caused by alcohol and maybe diabetes. You've been around the medical field a lot longer than me, but I've had a chance to assist elderly expats in CM with medical issues. Many of them have long-term alcohol abuse problem and I see the same kind of dementia in them that I saw in my dad. I must admit, it's much more passive, easy-to-deal-with dementia than what they see at Dok Kaew Gardens with the women, where presumably alcohol isn't as big an issue, so it's more likely it really isn't Alzheimer's. What do you think, Sheryl? I'd appreciate your opinion.

Edited May 15, 2014 by NancyL

[Issangeorge]

My dad had dementia that was brought on by a stroke. He couldn't remember what happened 30 seconds ago and could not concentrate long enough to watch a TV show. His favourite saying was; "What do we do now?" Which at times he repeated every 30 seconds. He never really got violent, although near the end the home he was in kept him slightly sedated. He could remember many things from years ago, things that were ingrained into his memory, such as his childhood address, sayings, and old songs or limericks, he had learnt the words to. He always knew who I was and always remembered my name, even when it was close to a year since I last saw him. It use to drive my sisters crazy, who would see him at least once a week. He would know who they were, but rarely remembered their name.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Kitsune]

New studies shows that Alzheimer is like heart diseases, triggered by our lifestyle : Hundred year ago, it hardly existed,since we got sedentary, did less exercise (to pump out blood to our brain) and ate food that promote sluggish blood stream with arteries clotting diet, dementia and Alzheimer rose.

[Sheryl]

The above is incorrect.

Many types of dementia indeed are caused by "clogged" arteries but not Alzheimers, which is not a vascular dementia.

No cause of Alzheimers has been discovered as yet other than for early onset Alzheimers which is caused by a genetic abnormality. Indeed the physiopathology underlying AD is still being unravelled.

Alzheiumers has always been more common among the very elderly and its increasing prevalence now is thought due to the fact that the numbers of people in very old age is much higher now than at any time in human history.

[IMA_FARANG]

Yes there is something that advertises itself as such a test.

Their ad sometimes appears on this forum as a google ad.

I may be nearly 68 years old, but I am suspicious of their advertising because very quickly in the process of the "test", they start asking you for your money and credit card numbers.

I don't think I'm suffering from Alzheimer's because I still remember what the word SCAM means.

And that's what I think that so-called on-line test really is.

[Sheryl]

Sheryl, do you think he had Alzheimer's or another type of dementia? My dad was the same way and we never had him tested, but thought his dementia was caused by alcohol and maybe diabetes. You've been around the medical field a lot longer than me, but I've had a chance to assist elderly expats in CM with medical issues. Many of them have long-term alcohol abuse problem and I see the same kind of dementia in them that I saw in my dad. I must admit, it's much more passive, easy-to-deal-with dementia than what they see at Dok Kaew Gardens with the women, where presumably alcohol isn't as big an issue, so it's more likely it really isn't Alzheimer's. What do you think, Sheryl? I'd appreciate your opinion.

My father was extensively tested/evaluated and there is no doubt that he had Alzheimers.

However there are many other types/causes of dementia and it is a great mistake to assume all demented people have AD.

Whether or not the person is passive or aggressive is not of any clinical or diagnostic significance.

Any person with dementia should have a thorough evaluation by a physician specializing in this area. Some causes are easily treated, for example endocrine imblances and micronutrient deficiencies (esp. B12 but in alcholics, also thiamine and other B vitamins).

[Sheryl]

A post quoting a scientist with no link to source provided has temporarily been hidden. If the post will supply the link -- to the original scientific article, not to another site claiming to represent what was said - it will be restored to view.

[Showbags]

Sheryl, do you think he had Alzheimer's or another type of dementia? My dad was the same way and we never had him tested, but thought his dementia was caused by alcohol and maybe diabetes. You've been around the medical field a lot longer than me, but I've had a chance to assist elderly expats in CM with medical issues. Many of them have long-term alcohol abuse problem and I see the same kind of dementia in them that I saw in my dad. I must admit, it's much more passive, easy-to-deal-with dementia than what they see at Dok Kaew Gardens with the women, where presumably alcohol isn't as big an issue, so it's more likely it really isn't Alzheimer's. What do you think, Sheryl? I'd appreciate your opinion.

My father was extensively tested/evaluated and there is no doubt that he had Alzheimers.

However there are many other types/causes of dementia and it is a great mistake to assume all demented people have AD.

Whether or not the person is passive or aggressive is not of any clinical or diagnostic significance.

Any person with dementia should have a thorough evaluation by a physician specializing in this area. Some causes are easily treated, for example endocrine imblances and micronutrient deficiencies (esp. B12 but in alcholics, also thiamine and other B vitamins).

'Any person with dementia should have a thorough evaluation by a physician '.......

what if they keep forgetting to go ?

[Kitsune]

here is the link

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20150596

[Kitsune]

here is a study on links between exercise and cognitive impairment/Alzheimer

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20065132