ABSTRACT
Alzheimer’s disease differs in that it is progressive and affects other brain functions besides memory, such as thinking processes, personality, and perception. The ability to recall, say, a list of words after a few minutes is called “short-term memory.” Short-term memory is basically equivalent to learning. This form of memory is the most affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The effect of Alzheimer’s disease on long-term memory is complex. Testing for Alzheimer’s disease involves a few blood tests, often a brain scan, and sometimes a neuropsychological evaluation, testing a person’s memory, problem-solving ability, and use of language. The medical evaluation for Alzheimer’s disease is not time-consuming, not painful, and relatively easy for the doctor to perform. The other change in a brain affected with Alzheimer’s disease and the other microscopic structure for which pathologists search is the neurofibrillary tangle. The long journey of the Alzheimer’s patient caregivers alters life’s meaning.
