Ever spent half an hour looking for your car keys? Or walked into a room only to wonder what you walked in there to look for? Or forgotten what day of the week it is? Not to worry. Occasional memory lapses are normal and not, as you might secretly fear, an early sign of Alzheimers disease. Still, its sometimes difficult even for doctors to recognize where normal forgetfulness stops and more serious memory problems begin. A guidebook published recently by the American Medical Association should make the job easier. The text, Diagnosis, Management and Treatment of Dementia : A Practical Guide for Primary Care Physicians, is somewhat technical but contains a lot of useful information. You can order the guide for $ 5 by calling 1-312-464-5563. Most cases of dementia, or prolonged mental confusion are usually caused by Alzheimers disease. But you should also look for memory problems caused by taking one or more medications. The combination of Tagamet and Valium, for example, can cause a build-up of the tranquilizer in the body. So be sure to tell your doctor every medication you or a loved one is taking, including over-the-counter medicine and dietary supplements. Dont overlook depression. Social isolation or the death of friends and family can shatter anyones mental state but it is particularly difficult to bear with advancing age. Even patients with clear-cut dementia and depression are less confused when their depression is treated. Dont give up even if you or a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. Although there is no cure yet there is still a lot you can do to ensure the best quality of life. Start by having a frank conversation about treatment options, and appoint someone as a health-care proxy to make sure those plans are carried out. Most patients with early Alzheimers can still make good decisions about their future care. There are several clinical trials currently studying various treatments. An intriguing one will determine whether vitamin E or an Alzheimers drug called Aricept can prevent dementia from developing in people who are at greater risk of developing Alzheimers disease because they have what is called mild cognitive impairment. To learn more about these clinical studies visit www. alzheimers. org/trials. If you are caring for someone with dementia, be sure you also take care of yourself. You might want to check out the website of the U. S. Alzheimers Association(www. alz. org)for more information. Whether you suffer dementia or love someone who does, the condition is difficult enough to cope with without trying to face it alone. What is the authors purpose of writing this passage?