Study: Four of Five Older Patients With Early Alzheimer's Go Undiagnosed

Four in 5 older patients with early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease go undiagnosed and untreated, according to a study presented August 18 at the 11th Congress of the International Psychogeriatric Association.

Although 28 percent of the study's 2,150 patients aged 65 and over showed signs cognitive impairment, these symptoms were acknowledged in the medical records of only 5.6 percent of the patients. Fewer than 2 percent of patients were being treated with cognitive enhancers.

"As a result, these patients do not have the benefits of early medical treatment or the opportunity to make legal and financial decisions while they are still able," said researcher Dr. Sanford Finkel, a psychiatry professor at the University of Chicago Medical School.

Finkel said diagnosing Alzheimer's early allows patients to make decisions about wills and investments, while their decision-making capacity is still intact. He said an increasing number of wills made by Alzheimer's patients are being challenged.

Finkel said primary care doctors have often not been trained to recognize early Alzheimer's disease symptoms or lack the time to evaluate patients with mental disorders. He said physicians should be alert to the following early symptoms of cognitive impairment and/or depression:

Changes in activity level or lack of interest in normal daily activities such as shopping, housework or socializing;

• Changes in sleep patterns;
• Depression'
• Sudden, inexplicable weight loss;
• Changes in personal hygiene habits;
• Vague answers to questions;
• Inability to follow long-term instructions.

Other sources: International Psychogeriatric Association