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Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease

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Pocket Reference to Alzheimer's Disease Management

Abstract

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a diagnosis of exclusion. A consideration of current and past medical and psychiatric conditions, surgeries, metabolic abnormalities, and pharmacotherapy is vital to making a diagnosis. Numerous factors can affect cognitive and functional abilities, and it is not unusual for other medical comorbidities to be present in addition to an underlying neurodegenerative process. Although these are rarely solely responsible for cognitive impairment, they may influence cognition adversely. This chapter will discuss recommended practices for the initial assessment of AD, including laboratory, imaging, and other types of diagnostic tests.

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Burke, A. et al. (2015). Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease. In: Pocket Reference to Alzheimer's Disease Management. Springer Healthcare, Tarporley. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-910315-22-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-910315-22-4_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer Healthcare, Tarporley

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-910315-21-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-910315-22-4

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