What are the initial signs of alzheimer's? i'm afraid my dad might have early alzheimer's. what are the first signs for it, and can they test for it conclusively?

Alzheimer's : Alzheimer's is unfortunately very common. It comes on very slowly, and often family members don't realize it because they have been compensating for subtle changes for many years. "early" Alzheimer's refers to people who get it in their 50's or earlier, and is rare. But alzheimer's is not the only kind of dementia*other causes are strokes, genetic defects, nutritional deficiencies, or brain damage. So the signs to watch for are signs of any dementia like increasing forgetfulness, getting lost, leaving things on the stove, change in personality, inappropriate behavior, etc. Most family members can tell something is wrong when they think about it. The key point is to identify if their mental capacities have diminished. It is not "normalaging" to start forgetting things you used to remember very well, or to lose the ability to play crosswords, or things like that. That is concerning. If you are concerned, you should find a doctor who is experienced in dementias. There are several tests to check. Most of those tests, though, are for the "other" types of dementia, which sometimes can be fixed. Diagnosing true alzheimers is usually based on the clinical scenario. The only 100% perfect way to diagnose it is to get a brain biopsy, but we do not do that because it is not necessary. Usually after a few easy tests, doctors can make a plan to start treating it.

Early signs of Alz D: Loss of recent memory. Example: your dad can regale you glibly with tales of his growing up and when you were a small child, but can't remember what has happened recently, where he put his keys, or tell you what's going on in the world. Increasingly, there are "definitive" tests. Eli lilly has a radiopharmaceutical that binds to amyloid plaque in the brain on pet scans and is diagnostic.