Consult a doctor when you have concerns about memory loss, thinking skills and behavior changes in yourself or a loved one. For people with dementia and their families, an early diagnosis has many advantages:

• time to make choices that maximize quality of life

• lessened anxieties about unknown problems

• a better chance of benefiting from treatment

• more time to plan for the future

It is also important for a physician to determine the cause of memory loss or other symptoms. Some dementia-like symptoms can be reversed if they are caused by treatable conditions, such as depression, drug interaction, thyroid problems, excess use of alcohol or certain vitamin deficiencies.

In this section, you will learn how Alzheimer's is diagnosed, the types of tests doctors use and how to live with Alzheimer's after a diagnosis.