The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment »

P. MURALI DORAISWAMY, M.D., a renowned expert on brain health, is head of Duke University’s Biological Psychiatry division and a Senior Fellow at Duke’s Center for the Study of Aging. As Director of Psychiatry Clinical Trials at Duke for nearly ten years, he received numerous awards for his work as an investigator on landmark studies. The author of more than two hundred scientific articles, Dr. Doraiswamy has served as an adviser to the Food and Drug Administration, the American Federation for Aging Research, the National Institutes of Aging, and the World Health Organization, as well as leading Alzheimer’s medical journals and advocacy groups. His research has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and The New York Times, and on CBS News, The Today Show, NPR, and the BBC.

LISA P. GWYTHER, M.S.W., Associate Professor in the Duke University Medical Center Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is a social worker with thirty-eight years’ experience in aging and Alzheimer’s services. She is the education director of the Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Duke and the current president of the Gerontological Society of America. The author of 130 scientific and lay publications, she was honored in 1998 as one of the founders of the national Alzheimer’s Association, and has won national and state awards for documentaries on Alzheimer’s disease and creativity in Alzheimer’s programming. The mother of two and grandmother of four, she resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband of forty years.

TINA ADLER, a freelance writer and editor specializing in health and science, lives in Cabin John, Maryland. She cared for two family members who had Alzheimer’s disease.

Two leading experts demystify the tests and treatments that are available now, and show how to obtain the best care for yourself or a loved one.

Introduction     xi
Early and Accurate Diagnosis: How to Get It and Why It Matters
Could It Be Alzheimer's?     3
What Looks Like Alzheimer's and Feels Like Alzheimer's But Isn't Alzheimer's     21
Why to Seek a Diagnosis Now     38
Where to Go-and How to Pay for It     49
Making the Most of the Doctor's Appointment     59
The Best Memory Tests     72
State-of the-Art Treatment
The Truth About Alzheimer's Treatment     103
The Best Drugs to Treat Alzheimer's     120
Clinical Trials: Can You (Safely) Get Tomorrow's Treatments Today?     139
How Will We Treat Alzheimer's in the Future?     164
Yes, There Is Life After Diagnosis
Heading Toward a New Normal: Living Well with Early-Stage Alzheimer's     181
The Middle Years: Finding Peace of Mind     224
When It's More Than Memory Loss
Changes in Behavior and Emotional Well-Being     279
Medications for Depression, Anxiety, and Sleeplessness     292
Finding a Calm in the Storm: Medications to Treat the Worst Behavioral Symptoms     314
A Brain-Healthy Lifestyle
What's Good for Your Heart Is Good for Your Brain: Diet, Exercise, and Supplements     329
Staying Connected: Keeping Your Brain Active     362
"Does Personality Change withMemory Loss?" and Other Frequently Asked Questions
Our Top 40 Questions and Answers     381
Resources     419
Stages of Symptom Progression in Early Through Moderate Alzheimer's Disease     435
Sample Informed Consent Form (and How to Read Between the Lines)     437
Acknowledgments     453
Index     455