A complete physical examination, including a detailed neurologic examination and a mental status examination, should be performed to evaluate disease stage and rule out comorbid conditions. A complete neurologic examination is performed to look for signs of other diseases that could cause dementia, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple strokes. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, the neurologic examination findings are typically normal other than anosmia. Anosmia is also found in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease, and TBI (with or without dementia).
Initial mental status testing should include evaluation of:
Attention and concentration
Recent and remote memory
Language
Praxis (ie, ability to perform skilled motor tasks without nonverbal prompting)
Executive function
Visuospatial function
Brief standardized examinations, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination, are less sensitive and specific than longer batteries that are specifically tailored to individual patients. Other examples include the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Saint Louis University Mental Status examination. Nonetheless, screening examinations have a role, particularly as a baseline.
Learn more about screening for cognitive impairment.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Helmi L. Lutsep, Jasvinder P. Chawla. Fast Five Quiz: Alzheimer's Disease - Medscape - Aug 29, 2023.
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