Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
Do you ever find yourself forgetting someone’s name or not remembering why you went into the other room? Don’t worry, not everyone who is forgetful has signs of Alzheimer’s disease. We live in a fast-paced world and get distracted with our thoughts.
However, it is important to recognize early signs and symptoms of something more concerning, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease, and at first, it presents with subtle changes. It has a genetic aspect to it, therefore, if you have dementia in your family, you may worry about developing this disease. It is important to talk to your family about your concerns because your family and close friends may recognize subtle mental status changes before your healthcare provider.
The Alzheimer’s Association recognizes common early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
including:
Memory loss. This could be forgetting a wedding anniversary or upcoming birthday.
Problem solving challenges. This includes forgetting how to do simple math calculations.
Problems with completing routine daily activities. For example, forgetting how to take daily medications.
Place and time identification. People could start forgetting what year it is.
Visual image changes. Some may have problems with driving at night due to difficulties with differentiating colors and contrasts.
Speech or writing changes. This includes getting side-tracked in conversations and forgetting the next part of telling a story or repeating themselves. Some may not be able to draw a clock with the hour and minute hands.
Misplacing items. This includes placing items in strange places, such as putting keys in the refrigerator.
Altered judgment. Some may have a decrease in personal hygiene, such as forgetting to shower/bath routinely.
Social changes. People may have difficulties engaging in their previously enjoyed activities and become more withdrawn.
Personality or mood changes. Irritability is a common symptom when the routine is thrown off.
You may wonder what the difference is for normal age-related changes and dementia. It typically comes down to how often these changes occur and their severity. Forgetting things occasionally and then remembering it later is not a typical symptom of dementia. Yet, if you are having trouble sustaining a conversation, that would be more concerning.
In my personal experience as a healthcare provider, I have seen a wide range of presentations. I have seen avid sport’s lovers give up their passion for coaching due to speech difficulties. The embarrassment of not feeling competent enough to communicate with the team led to them leaving their coaching profession. They, soon, realized that their speech was not from aging, but due to Alzheimer’s disease.
Others have presented with difficulties of word finding for items they commonly use, which brings a great amount of frustration. Not being able to carry on a conversation with a spouse or best friend can be heartbreaking and can lead to a withdrawn behavior.
For my grandfather who had severe Alzheimer’s disease, his presentation started in his early 70s. He was a very diligent man who was detail oriented in tasks. One day, he helped my sister move to her new apartment by loading up his pickup truck with bins of her belongings. When they arrived at her new home, they noticed a couple of bins missing from the truck bed, along with the tailgate open. My grandfather then realized he forgot to close the tailgate. Situations like this can happen to anyone, even those who do not suffer from dementia. However, there were many incidences of his neurological decline that occurred over the years.
If you are having any of these signs and symptoms, please consult your healthcare provider about your concerns. They may consider performing a mini-mental exam, labs, and consider a neurology referral for a further workup. Early detection is important in providing treatments that can slow down the progression of dementia and provide additional resources that may be needed. Good communication to family and friends is vital to ensure all needs, wishes, and fears are heard. Some people may want to ensure they have “all their ducks in a row” meaning having an updated living will, advance directives, Health Care Proxy and power of attorney in place.
By Michelle Flanagan
Medical Disclaimer:
The information on this site is for informational purposes only. It is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek help from a healthcare professional, if needed.
References
Alzheimer’s Association. (2022). 10 early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs