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In some cases, examining the brain after death (autopsy) is done to look for changes in the brain that may show Alzheimer's disease. An autopsy is the only definite way to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, but the illness may not be clearly identified if the autopsy is performed when someone dies during the early stages of the illness. An autopsy is rarely necessary, but may be done if the family wants to confirm that the person had Alzheimer's disease.

Early Detection

At this time, there is no routine screening for Alzheimer's disease. It is difficult to diagnose Alzheimer's disease in its early stages. This does not mean that you should ignore symptoms of mental decline (dementia) or assume that they are a normal part of aging. Talk to your health professional if you are concerned about memory loss or other symptoms of dementia, such as having difficulty finding your way around familiar places.

Screening tests for genes (such as the DNA test for apolipoprotein E-4 [ApoE-4]) that raise a person's risk for developing Alzheimer's disease may become more important as knowledge about possible genetic causes of the disease grows. However, these tests are not widely available at this time.