Misdiagnosis Part 2

Here's the first condition that can present as Alzheimer's. It's something most people wouldn't think of either.

"Depression. Because depression is often part of Alzheimer's disease, it can be tricky to sort out what's going on. Depression by itself can mimic dementia; a situation sometimes called pseudodementia. When people are depressed, they can have difficulty concentrating, and this leads to forgetfulness. Making matters worse, many people are reluctant to seek help because they fear they are developing dementia, when in fact they are delaying a diagnosis for a treatable condition. For this reason, it makes sense for any person who is being evaluated for Alzheimer's to also be evaluated for depression, and perhaps treated for possible depression to see if the signs of dementia are alleviated."

http://www.genetichealth.com/ALZ_When_it_Isnt_Alzheimers_Disease.shtml

"The most common pseudodementia and the most easily misdiagnosed is that associated with depression. General internists and family practitioners fail to recognize major depression in up to 20% of their outpatients with the disorder, either as depression misdiagnosed as dementia or vice versa. The ability of primary-care physicians to recognize and correctly treat depression is important since only approximately 20% of people with depression are treated by mental health professionals. This is especially crucial since both disorders especially depression, are treatable and misdiagnosis may cause an individual with potential full cognitive function to be unnecessarily confined in long-term care faculties (Yesavage, 1993). While cognitive and behavioral difficulties (e.g., forgetfulness, sad mood, slowed thinking) in depression are similar to those with suspected dementia, performance on neuropsychological tests offers a distinct profile. To diagnose dementia, a complete medical and neuropsychological evaluation is recommended and a complete patient history is very important. It is of vital importance that the physician understands the differences between depression and dementia."

http://www.neuropsychconsultant.com/memory.html

Perhaps seeing a neuropsychologist or other behavioral specialist along with your regular doctor is a good strategy for narrowing down possible conditions.