The sooner someone is diagnosed with dementia, the better.

Increasingly, that's the mantra of experts in Alzheimer's disease, a condition that robs people of their memories and ability to think.

The Alzheimer's Association is highlighting the message in a new media campaign that began last month on television and is continuing with print ads in local markets.

How does this work? And why deliver a diagnosis of Alzheimer's, an incurable condition that many older people fear, sooner rather than later?

If a family member is becoming confused and forgetful much more often, experts recommend a brief test that can suggest potential dementia. (For 10 possible warning signs of dementia, go to the Alzheimer's Association website at www.alz.org.)

The most common is the Mini Mental State Exam, which asks takers to name several objects, identify the year, date and season, and count backward, among other tasks.

Limitations of the exam include its length and relatively poor ability to identify people with mild cognitive impairment, explained William Thies, chief medical office for the Alzheimer's Association. Mild cognitive impairment is often a precursor to dementia.

A new test by researchers in Britain, called Test Your Memory, may become an alternative. In a recent article in the British Medical Journal, researchers reported the five-minute, self-administered exam detected 93 percent of patients with Alzheimer's.

These brief cognitive tests are ''a first step,'' said Dr. Raj Shah, an Alzheimer's expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Further evaluation involves ruling out other conditions that can compromise memory, such as stroke or depression, and taking a thorough history with the person and a family member.

Often, more extensive cognitive testing will also be ordered. ''It's unrealistic to expect a very brief test to discriminate between normal aging and mild cognitive impairment,'' said Dr. Ronald Petersen, head of the Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.

At Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach, Dr. Ranjan Duara, a neurologist, is part of a nationwide study seeking earlier detection of the risk of Alzheimer's. He's part of a 10-hospital trial of florpiramine, a ''tracer'' element that can be injected into the blood stream to reach the brain and help find the ameloid plaques that indicate an elevated risk of the disease. The tracer binds to the plaques and can be detected there with a PET scan.

''This could lead to earlier diagnosis of the risk of Alzheimer's,'' he said, ``although it doesn't mean you will definitely get it.''

What's the value of a diagnosis?

People with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer's can make lifestyle changes -- exercise more, eat diets rich in vegetables and fish, engage in cognitively stimulating activities -- that may improve their quality of life, Shah said. Also, people who receive diagnoses early can participate in decisions about their treatment and connect with community resources. For instance, those newly diagnosed could put their financial affairs in order or get counseling for depression.

It's important to note that the Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved any medications for use in people with mild cognitive impairment. Researchers have tested drugs commonly used to treat Alzheimer's in these patients, but results are inconclusive, Petersen noted.

With Alzheimer's disease, the medications produce a slight benefit -- a relief of some symptoms for 6 to 12 months for about half of people who take them. No medication has been shown to alter the disease's progression.

For all the emphasis on early detection, many people may not want to know they're at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Indeed, almost two-thirds of people with dementia haven't received a diagnosis, the Alzheimer's Association reports. Currently, 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease.

Miami Herald staff writer Fred Tasker contributed to this report.

Join the discussion

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.repliedToText@

@Nyx.replyAnswerText@

Reply to this Comment @Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@