Did you recently start having short-term memory loss or other symptoms that are typically associated with Alzheimer's Disease? Modern in vitro diagnostics allow your doctor to establish with great clarity whether you suffer from Alzheimer's Disease or not, through the analysis of a few drops of CSF collected in the lumbar region.
As part of the diagnostic workup for memory complaints, your doctor may offer to perform a procedure called lumbar puncture. This examination is performed routinely in neurology consultations. During this procedure a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) will be collected.
Alzheimer's disease is a continuous process leading to an alteration of cognitive and behavioral functions. It is essential to consult a doctor as soon as the first signs appear. By then, the disease might already have progressed insidiously for many years. A clear diagnosis will allow patients, their relatives and closest social network to better understand the symptoms that occur and to anticipate the future in consultation with the patient.
Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, is still today an incurable degenerative disease. Neurons in certain parts of the brain are destroyed which leads to deficits in cognitive functions, such as memory, language skills, and behavior. Clinical diagnosis can be supported by biomarkers that detect the presence or absence of the disease. This will become even more important in the future, when new treatments of Alzheimer’s disease will become available.
