Are laboratory tests helpful?
Very helpful, though perhaps not in the way most people would think. There is no specific laboratory test for Alzheimer’s disease. However, laboratory tests can help rule out other causes of dementia, and if other dementias are discovered, guide treatment in the right direction. For example, blood tests may show high blood sugar or high blood lipids (cholesterol) and a brain scan may show evidence of a stroke. An electrocardiogram may indicate an earlier heart attack or an abnormal heart rate or rhythm. These findings may lead to a diagnosis of vascular or multi-infarct dementia and to treatments that would reduce the risk of further brain injury due to interference with blood flow to the brain. Alternatively, blood tests might show low levels of vitamin B12 that cause a particular type of anemia that can produce dementia. The specific treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency would involve periodic injections of vitamin B12.
