Early-onset Alzheimer's gets name change.

CHICAGO -- The increasing incidence of early-onset dementia represents both a national challenge and a future crisis, according to the Alzheimer's Association, which is about to change the designation to "young" onset.

By the end of 2007, the Alzheimer's Association is expected to start using the term "young-onset" Alzheimer's because of the tendency of people to confuse "early-onset" with "early-stage" disease, said JoAnn Webster, early-onset coordinator for the Oklahoma and Arkansas chapters of the Alzheimer's Association in Tulsa.

"It's young people we're talking about, not early disease," she explained in an interview.

Data from the national Health and Retirement Study indicate that in 2000, 480,000 Americans aged 55-64 years had cognitive impairment at a level severe enough to be considered disabling.

Other research suggests that in 2004, the number of Americans with early-onset (young-onset) Alzheimer's and other dementias ranged from 220,000 to 640,000, according to an overview distributed at a conference on dementia sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association.

However, treatment, support, and education often are delayed because of lack of awareness of early-onset dementia and physician reluctance to diagnose Alzheimer's disease in patients younger than age 60.

Patients often are told they are depressed or have other mental disorders, and the dementia goes unrecognized, Ms. Webster said during a seminar. "The person with early-onset dementia may indeed have mild depression or depressed mood because of uncertainty and fear, and often they are given diagnoses of anxiety or panic disorder, or they're given an antidepressant and sent home," she said.

When a woman begins to experience memory loss, she may be told by her physician that hormones are to blame and that her best option is to undergo a hysterectomy, she said.

When younger patients or their families complain of memory loss, physicians should launch the same battery of neurologic tests they would offer an elderly patient and, if dementia is diagnosed, they should immediately refer the patients to the Alzheimer's Association (800-272-3900) and its Web site (www.alz.org) for emotional support and guidance, she said. "I push for a proper diagnosis, because knowing what's wrong gives them the power and strength to fight back, whereas dodging the real diagnosis is extremely stressful for them," she added.

A proper diagnosis takes on additional importance when memory loss has led to job loss, Ms. Webster said, noting that having the diagnosis may confer eligibility for unemployment insurance.

"We've come to the point where we have to make a diagnosis for these people who are young, proactive, and want to know what's wrong with them. They need to understand that Alzheimer's is a treatable illness, and the more all of us learn more about it, and the more people we can engage in treatment and clinical trials of new drugs, the sooner we'll find a cure," Ms. Webster said.

Physicians can learn more about young-onset dementia by going to the association's Web site and clicking on "Professionals and Researchers." Early-onset disease information can be accessed by typing "early-onset Alzheimer's" in the search box. Also, Ms. Webster invites physicians and caregivers to contact her at joann.webster@alz.org or 918-481-7746.

BY BRUCE K. DIXON

Chicago Bureau