Type of dementia

gabby_0789

What test can tell me the type of dementia my mother has?

Jeanne C.

Hi - it's really a combination of tests. MRI and CT scan are for brain imaging, showing bleeds, stroke, tumors, atrophy, etc. PET scan shows brain activity patterns. Lab tests and lumbar puncture can show deficiencies, infections, and biomarkers (labs can identify many issues that mimic dementia). Cognitive and psych tests can look at reasoning, memory, mood disorders, etc. Does your mother have a neurologist? That's a good starting point if she hasn't been diagnosed.

Good luck to you both.

Anonymousjpl123

Agreed. My mom had so many tests, and saw so many doctors, before we had any kind of specific diagnosis and even that seems not definitive until autopsy.

it seems like what is used are:

MRI

Lumbar puncture (sometimes)

Cognitove tests (Moca, mmse)

Bloodwork

Combined, these things can rule out some types of dementia (my mom showed no signs of Lewy body or vascular), and point to others (areas of brain atrophy, specific cognitive/memory loss based on neuropsych tests point to Alzheimer’s). But none of it seems all that definitive.