Diagnosing cognitive impairment
How the diagnostic process works
Brain aging
Why dementia risk is higher for people of color
Protecting your brain
Protecting your brain
Conversations to have with your doctor
Cognitive impairment could be treatable
Symptoms of cognitive decline can be subtle, and don’t always point to Alzheimer's disease. Getting an accurate diagnosis early on is critical. Some cognitive impairment is caused by treatable health conditions, and catching a condition early could mean it is possible to clear up the symptoms.
Return
Next
Getting an accurate diagnosis matters
Accurate diagnosis, means you’re better prepared to:
Read more
Return
Next
Why is a dementia diagnosis hard to get right?
Many neurodegenerative diseases have overlapping symptoms and doctors need to rule out other, reversible conditions before diagnosing dementia.
“Physicians often don’t like to pursue the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and they will pick other things that might be coexisting, like depression or anxiety. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have Alzheimer’s.”
Dr. Sharon Cohen
Toronto Memory Program
Return
Next
Brain health barriers for people of color
While research shows that approximately 40 percent of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed through modifiable risk factors, not all communities are on an equal playing field for managing these risks.
Jason ResendezHead of the LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Coalition
Myra GarciaAlzheimer’s advocate
Return
Next
Real-life stories of misdiagnosis
For many, getting an accurate diagnosis takes months or years. Read about patients and families who pushed for answers:
Myra Garcia
Misdiagnosed with ADD
Terrie Montgomery
A long road to diagnosis
Return
Next
What to discuss with your doctor
If you think you might be experiencing cognitive changes or memory loss, here are some things you can ask to start this discussion with your doctor:
Questions to ask your doctor
“If your doctor isn't listening, find a new one.”
Dr. Marwan Sabbagh
Barrow Neurological
Return
Next
How dementia is diagnosed
Doctors use multiple tools to get a full picture of cognitive decline and make an accurate diagnosis.
Biomarker testing
Cognitive assessments
Imaging
Functional & behavioral evaluation
Medical history & physical exam
Read or watch more
Return
Next
New diagnostic tools
A new wave of technology is changing how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed:
Blood tests for Alzheimer’s
Voice analysis
AI and digital biomarkers
Return
Next
What happens after a diagnosis
After receiving a diagnosis, many people are unsure how to proceed. Here’s what to do next:
- Research more about living with dementia and what it means for the future
- Seek a specialist (neurologist, geriatrician, or neuropsychologist)
- Explore treatment options and lifestyle interventions
- Involve family and create a care plan
- Organize legal and financial documents early
- Consider participating in research
Just diagnosed? Read more
Return
Next
Participating in a clinical trial
Phyllis Jones and Patty Kelly share what it was like to participate in the U.S. POINTER Study, a lifestyle intervention trial.
Return
Next
Explore more resources on beingpatient.com
Return
Next
Want to learn more?
Visit
beingpatient.com
for the latest news and information on brain health and Alzheimer's disease
Return
High-tech tools may detect early symptoms that traditional tests miss. Online self-administered cognitive tests are becoming more popular.
The FDA recently approved the first blood test to detect Alzheimer’s, opening the door to Medicaid coverage. Blood tests detect amyloid or tau protein and are becoming more widely available. New guidelines recommend using blood tests in individuals who already have been diagnosed with cognitive impairment.
Technology startups like Sonde Health are developing tools that detect cognitive changes through voice biomarkers and speech patterns.
- I’ve been experiencing forgetfulness and getting lost in familiar places, do you think that is normal aging or something more serious?
- I’m worried I might be having cognitive changes. What kind of testing do you offer?
- Can I get a referral for cognitive testing with a neurologist?
- Are there any blood or imaging tests available to me here?
- Can we screen for other possible causes of my symptoms — like depression, sleep disorders, anxiety or vitamin deficiencies?
- If I do have Alzheimer’s or MCI, what’s the next step?
Diagnosing Cognitive Impairment
Deborah Kan
Created on November 11, 2025
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Project Roadmap Timeline
View
Step-by-Step Timeline: How to Develop an Idea
View
Artificial Intelligence History Timeline
View
Practical Timeline
View
History Timeline
View
Education Timeline
View
Timeline video mobile
Explore all templates
Transcript
Diagnosing cognitive impairment
How the diagnostic process works
Brain aging
Why dementia risk is higher for people of color
Protecting your brain
Protecting your brain
Conversations to have with your doctor
Cognitive impairment could be treatable
Symptoms of cognitive decline can be subtle, and don’t always point to Alzheimer's disease. Getting an accurate diagnosis early on is critical. Some cognitive impairment is caused by treatable health conditions, and catching a condition early could mean it is possible to clear up the symptoms.
Return
Next
Getting an accurate diagnosis matters
Accurate diagnosis, means you’re better prepared to:
Read more
Return
Next
Why is a dementia diagnosis hard to get right?
Many neurodegenerative diseases have overlapping symptoms and doctors need to rule out other, reversible conditions before diagnosing dementia.
“Physicians often don’t like to pursue the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and they will pick other things that might be coexisting, like depression or anxiety. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have Alzheimer’s.”
Dr. Sharon Cohen
Toronto Memory Program
Return
Next
Brain health barriers for people of color
While research shows that approximately 40 percent of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed through modifiable risk factors, not all communities are on an equal playing field for managing these risks.
Jason ResendezHead of the LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Coalition
Myra GarciaAlzheimer’s advocate
Return
Next
Real-life stories of misdiagnosis
For many, getting an accurate diagnosis takes months or years. Read about patients and families who pushed for answers:
Myra Garcia
Misdiagnosed with ADD
Terrie Montgomery
A long road to diagnosis
Return
Next
What to discuss with your doctor
If you think you might be experiencing cognitive changes or memory loss, here are some things you can ask to start this discussion with your doctor:
Questions to ask your doctor
“If your doctor isn't listening, find a new one.”
Dr. Marwan Sabbagh
Barrow Neurological
Return
Next
How dementia is diagnosed
Doctors use multiple tools to get a full picture of cognitive decline and make an accurate diagnosis.
Biomarker testing
Cognitive assessments
Imaging
Functional & behavioral evaluation
Medical history & physical exam
Read or watch more
Return
Next
New diagnostic tools
A new wave of technology is changing how Alzheimer’s is diagnosed:
Blood tests for Alzheimer’s
Voice analysis
AI and digital biomarkers
Return
Next
What happens after a diagnosis
After receiving a diagnosis, many people are unsure how to proceed. Here’s what to do next:
Just diagnosed? Read more
Return
Next
Participating in a clinical trial
Phyllis Jones and Patty Kelly share what it was like to participate in the U.S. POINTER Study, a lifestyle intervention trial.
Return
Next
Explore more resources on beingpatient.com
Return
Next
Want to learn more?
Visit
beingpatient.com
for the latest news and information on brain health and Alzheimer's disease
Return
High-tech tools may detect early symptoms that traditional tests miss. Online self-administered cognitive tests are becoming more popular.
The FDA recently approved the first blood test to detect Alzheimer’s, opening the door to Medicaid coverage. Blood tests detect amyloid or tau protein and are becoming more widely available. New guidelines recommend using blood tests in individuals who already have been diagnosed with cognitive impairment.
Technology startups like Sonde Health are developing tools that detect cognitive changes through voice biomarkers and speech patterns.