What Is Involved in a Dementia Diagnosis?
There are two main parts of a dementia diagnosis. The first is to test the patient’s general health and to take blood samples and other specimens to determine if there are any underlying physical causes for mental symptoms. The second is to take down the person’s family history and discuss any mental issues that have been going on. Dementia can only be diagnosed if the patient is experiencing memory loss in combination with at least one other common symptom. The primary factors doctors look for to make a dementia diagnosis are both a lack of memory and at least one other indicator of decreased cognitive function. Signs that the brain is no longer functioning normally may include impaired speech and language skills, impaired motor ability when there is no physical reason, decreased recognition of common objects or people, and a lack of abstract thinking skills. These should be present with no physical cause of symptoms.
