New guidelines released by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Aging identify new diagnostic criteria and new biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease.
The guidelines identify previously unrecognized phases of the disease. The three new phases refer to the disease’s progression, starting before well-known symptoms such as memory loss appear.æ
- In äóìpreclinical Alzheimer’s disease,äó scans of the brain and measurement of spinal fluid changes can provide clues to any physical deterioration.
æ - In äóìmild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease,äó family members and physicians might recognize mild memory and cognitive problems, which are measurable but don’t greatly impact day-to-day functioning.
æ - In the third phase, äóìdementia due to Alzheimer’s disease,äó memory, thinking and behavioral deficiencies become clear.