do you know any tests which test a person for early sign of dementia?

Picard, I think dementia is overrated. I just don;t see the yen for it. Sometimes it seems as if nearly half the country and almost all of Hollywood is endeavoring to prove they have some form of dementia. I just don;t get it...it's not for me.

I don;t know of any tests and a doctor's visit is certainly out of the question (due to the high cost of medecine). Probably the cheapest and most reliable way for a person to diagnose dementia is by asking friends if they think the person has it. I mean, good friends....honest ones. They'll spot dementia in a heartbeat, but they generally won;t tell the person unless asked.

Went through this with Dad a few years ago, before he passed.

If by test, you mean something objective like a blood test, I do not know of any, although I read somewhere there are efforts to develop a test like this for Alzheimer's.

But there are tests that are subjective, where the physician asks a series of questions, tests memory and so on, on the basis of which the diagnosis is made.

Also, as I mentioned in another post some time ago, a diagnosis of dementia in an older person may not mean that legal action needs to be taken for their protection, or that they can't do things like make wills/trusts and execute a DNR order. There are different definitions and standards, and consulting with a local professional is the best way to find out what can and can't be done.

Hope this helps

Neuropsychological evaluation (not psychological...NEUROpsychological) can identify dementia and it can document numeric levels for many types of cognitive functioning. Such documentation or establishing a "base line" helps determine if the dementia is changing and at what rate. However: there are numerous causes of dementia. Some are manageable. Some are reversable.

Neuropsychological testing is not particularly useful in specifying the cause. Clinical history and examination by a Neurologist can be more helpful in specifying a cause.

Expect to pay close to $2,000 easily for Neuropsychological testing. So it isn't something to be done on a whim.

We went thru this with my dad also. No test needed if there are people around who know the person, as it is very easy to tell when their mental capacity has taken a dump. In our case, it was probably caused to a very decreased flow of oxygen to his brain, thanks to a heart problem...

OBG,

Interesting that you said that. I've had two very different experiences with my parents.

My father started showing signs of forgetfulness many years ago. My mom noticed it at first and most of the kids - not being around as much (out of state) wrote it off as him just not caring to remember. Eventually it became more obvious as he'd get more confused about things. We took him in to a neurologist for tests and I honestly wasn't all that impressed with the tests. Anyway, they eventually diagnosed him as having Alzeimers (never could spell that - uh oh). His memory did decline slowly over the years, to the point that he thought I was his brother instead of his son. He eventually died from injuries associated with a fall, and luckily we (his children) were spared seeing his memory dwindle even further.

My mother, on the other hand, started having memory problems too - about the same time, though maybe a little later. They diagnosed her as having Alzeimers too. Later she was also diagnosed as having some form of leukemia related to radiation therapy she'd had back in the '60's. Over a number of years her red blood cell levels dropped to the point that she passed away amazingly peacefully. Hind sight very clearly says she didn't have Alzeimers at all, but a form of dementia related to low red blood cell levels and low oxygen supply. We never got a doctor's word on that, it was mostly my opinion, but hearing your comment makes me think I was indeed correct.

I'll agree with OBG 100%. CLOSE friends and family KNOW. Moderately infrequent visitors may not know for a long time. Doctors might be able to detect something.

Another couple of conditions that cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's are low blood oxygen content and mini strokes.

There are all sorts of conditions that can cause dementia or memory loss. Depression can cause symptoms that are similar.

Something as simple as a serious B-vitamin deficiency can also cause such symptoms. It can be a lack in the diet or an inability to absorb what they consume.

In one case a man developed a pocket in his stomach that interacted with his high carbohydrate diet so it acted as a personal brewery. He was constantly borderline drunk even though he was a tea-totaler. A simple operation eliminated the pocket and restored mental function.

One recent study I read recently showed that something as simple as getting a correct prescription glasses caused a large number of nursing home inmates to become markedly less depressed and much more alert.

Suspected dementia or memory loss needs to be evaluated professionally. Even then I suspect that far too many people settle for the first opinion that it is 'just a part of getting old'. So don't be shy about getting a second or third opinion.

Similar problem with my Dad. Started smoking in WWII, 2 packs a day for the next 50 years. He was told he needed oxygen 24/7, but when he would use it, he felt fine and would decide he didn't need it, take it off, then get "foggy" (for want of a better term) and not realize he needed the oxygen, thus damaging his brain cells even more. Heart problems also reduced blood oxygen, along with COPD from the smoking.

I do not smoke.

Moral: if your elders need the oxygen, make sure they use it 24/7 (or as directed).

My dad told me that EVERYONE learned to smoke in the Army. He said that if he didn't smoke during the cigarette breaks then they would make him do work, so he learned to smoke. Luckily he stopped once the war ended.