ABSTRACT
During the past decade there has been a significant improvement in the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Whereas early series of diagnostic accuracy reported error rates of 30-40%, more recent studies have verified the correct diagnosis over 90% of the time. The criteria currently recommended for use in theraputic trials were developed by the Work Group on the Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease established by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINCDS) and the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association (ADRDA). Prior to the development of the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria, the most commonly used definitions were those of the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for Primary Degenerative Dementia. In a multicenter study, Forette, et al., (1989) studied the reliability of clinical diagnosis using criteria comparable to NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Diagnoses made at one year intervals were compared and found to have 95% reliability.
