Alzheimer's disease is primarily diagnosed through which method?

Alzheimer's disease is primarily confirmed through an autopsy, which allows for direct examination of brain tissue. This method can reveal the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles — the hallmark features of Alzheimer's — that are not definitively identifiable through other diagnostic methods while a patient is alive.

While neuroimaging and blood tests can support the diagnosis by highlighting potential indicators and ruling out other conditions, they do not provide the definitive evidence necessary for a diagnosis. Patient interviews can be an essential part of gathering information on the individual's symptoms and cognitive decline, contributing to the diagnosis, but they lack the biological confirmation that an autopsy provides. Autopsy remains the gold standard in confirming Alzheimer's disease posthumously.