Alzheimer’s Dementia Signs And Symptoms

Significance Of World Alzheimers Day 2022

As awareness of Alzheimers disease grew, Alzheimer Disease International was established in 1984. Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 1994, the organisation declared the first annual observance of World Alzheimers Day. They chose September 21 as the annual date to mark the occasion. However, the first annual World Alzheimers Month was observed in 2021.

Each year on September 21, people all around the world celebrate World Alzheimers Day. This day was created to educate the public about the condition, its most frequent symptoms, and the dangers it poses.

The whole month of September is recognised as World Alzheimers Month in several nations.

What Is The First Sign Of Dementia

Its easy to miss the first signs of cognitive decline. Spotting early dementia symptoms has become more critical than ever: the Alzheimers Association projects that 12.7 million people 65 and older will have some form of dementia by 2050. Thats why a lot of research on behavioral changes associated with dementia could help in the early detection of the neurodegenerative condition. However, this subtle action is often ignored by people with dementia and their families.

Yahoos recent article entitled This Is the No. 1 Dementia Symptom People Ignore, Doctors Say explains that many people believe that memory loss is the only sign of dementia. However, theres much more to this debilitating condition than forgetfulness. There are a number of other behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia, the most common of which are apathy, depression, irritability, agitation and anxiety. The rarest symptoms are euphoria, hallucinations and lack of inhibition. Many of these are subtle at first. Therefore, understanding what to look for is critical in early detection. It can significantly affect the course of your disease and delay its progression. This behavior change can be seen many years before a dementia diagnosis.

The study concluded that missed bill payments lead to higher penalties and interest fees that are detrimental to your financial well-being. Therefore, financial guidance is essential for dementia patients after diagnosis.

Signs Of Mild Alzheimers Disease

In mild Alzheimers disease, a person may seem to be healthy but has more and more trouble making sense of the world around him or her. The realization that something is wrong often comes gradually to the person and his or her family. Problems can include:

• Poor judgment leading to bad decisions
• Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
• Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
• Repeating questions

• Increased sleeping
• Loss of bowel and bladder control

A common cause of death for people with Alzheimers disease is aspiration pneumonia. This type of pneumonia develops when a person cannot swallow properly and takes food or liquids into the lungs instead of air.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimers, though there are medicines that can treat the symptoms of the disease.

Don’t Miss: How Do You Check For Dementia

What Are The Signs Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Scientists continue to unravel the complex brain changes involved in the onset and progression of Alzheimers disease. It seems likely that damage to the brain starts a decade or more before memory and other cognitive problems appear. During this preclinical stage of Alzheimers disease, people seem to be symptom-free, but toxic changes are taking place in the brain.

Damage occurring in the brain of someone with Alzheimers disease begins to show itself in very early clinical signs and symptoms. For most people with Alzheimersthose who have the late-onset varietysymptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Signs of early-onset Alzheimers begin between a persons 30s and mid-60s.

The first symptoms of Alzheimers vary from person to person. Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of cognitive impairment related to Alzheimers disease. Decline in non-memory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimers disease. And some people may be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. As the disease progresses, people experience greater memory loss and other cognitive difficulties.

Alzheimers disease progresses in several stages: preclinical, mild , moderate, and severe .

Symptoms Specific To Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of dementia, after Alzheimer’s. Some people have both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, often called “mixed dementia”.

Symptoms of vascular dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, although memory loss may not be as obvious in the early stages.

Symptoms can sometimes develop suddenly and quickly get worse, but they can also develop gradually over many months or years.

Specific symptoms can include:

• stroke-like symptoms: including muscle weakness or temporary paralysis on one side of the body
• movement problems difficulty walking or a change in the way a person walks
• thinking problems having difficulty with attention, planning and reasoning
• mood changes depression and a tendency to become more emotional

Read more about vascular dementia.

Don’t Miss: Can Dementia Be Seen On An Mri

Treatable Causes Of Dementia

There are many conditions that can cause dementia-like symptoms that can sometimes be stopped or even reversed with treatment. These conditions include:

• Side effects of certain medicines
• Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression
• Certain vitamin deficiencies
• Blood clots, tumors, or infections in the brain
• Delirium, a sudden state of confusion and disorientation
• Head injury, such as a concussion from a fall or accident
• Thyroid, kidney, or liver problems
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus, an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain

Talk with your doctor if you experience serious memory problems or other symptoms of dementia. A proper diagnosis is important to getting the right treatment.

Unable To Locate Familiar Routes

People with dementia can display symptoms like disorientation. If they have been wandering or turning up in odd places while driving, their cognitive impairment is likely putting other motorists in danger.

Your loved ones safety on the road is jeopardized if they have even occasional episodes of disorientation, which could cause them to become lost or leave without warning.

The Alzheimers Association Policy Division and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a detailed analysis of dementia and driving. They found that being disoriented and having access to a vehicle is potentially lethal.

Keep this grave danger in mind, and intervene if a loved one wanders off in a place they know well.

Don’t Miss: What Shampoos Cause Alzheimer’s Disease And Cancer

What Happens In The Early Stage Of Dementia

Dementia affects everyone differently and early symptoms are often relatively mild and not always easy to notice.

Many people at the early stage of dementia stay largely independent and only need a bit of assistance with daily living. It is important to focus on what the person can do and not to take over and do things for them. Instead, try doing things with them, for example helping the person develop a routine, reminder lists and prompts, and use technology.

For more information for people living with dementia, see the ‘Keeping active and involved‘ page.

The early stage of dementia is when many people choose to make plans for the future, while they still have the ability to do so. This includes making a Lasting power of attorney , and advance decisions and advance statements to ensure their wishes and preferences are made clear.

Signs Of Early Onset Alzheimers Disease

Roughly 200, A very small number of people with Alzheimer disease have the Early-Onset type, depressed, distrustful, let us proceed to the particular early Alzheimers symptoms, which is when symptoms start before age 65, One of the first signs that an individual has Alzheimers Disease is a gradual change in personality, While the risk of developing this progressive brain disorder is higher for those with a parent or sibling who has Alzheimers, and depression.10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimers Disease,TOP 10 ALZHEIMERS SIGNS & SYMPTOMS, The first symptoms of Alzheimers vary from person to person, 2

Recommended Reading: What Types Of Dementia Are There

Getting Tickets Or Having Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drivers aged 85 and up had the highest collision rate per mile traveled. This alarming number highlights that senior drivers, especially those with impaired cognitive abilities are in heightened danger in the event of a car accident.

Regrettably, mishaps are often the precursor of worse things to come. You may want to intervene if your close relative has a history of traffic infractions, including accidents, tickets, and mysterious automobile damage upon their return home.

Accidents, while unfortunate, can make it simpler to intervene, as they serve as wake-up calls for people who may not have realized their symptoms had developed to such an extreme state.

Whether or not your loved one admits to the change and its ramifications, the fact that they are trying to cover up the evidence of their recent car damage & accidents may be a clear indicator.

Common Forms Of Dementia

There are many different forms of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form and may contribute to 60-70% of cases. Other major forms include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies , and a group of diseases that contribute to frontotemporal dementia . Dementia may also develop after a stroke or in the context of certain infections such as HIV, harmful use of alcohol, repetitivephysical injuries to the brain or nutritional deficiencies. The boundaries between different forms of dementia are indistinct and mixed forms often co-exist.

Read Also: Can Smoking Cause Alzheimer’s Disease

Avoiding Driving With Others

The best way to gauge a relatives driving abilities is to ride with them. You can observe their response time, speed, and compliance with traffic regulations if you join them on shopping trips or let them drive.

If they refuse to let you ride, it could be because they are aware that their driving expertise is declining. Thus, they dont want you to criticize them, worry about them, or even be in trouble.

Its more plausible if they still drive for others but refuse to include their loved ones in their trips.

Refusing passengers could also indicate that even brief interruptions are too much to bear. As dementia progresses, signs such as slower than normal reaction times become much more noticeable to outside observers.

This further contributes to the patients tendency to become easily distracted. How we approach the person living with dementia is also crucial when it comes to bringing up driving related concerns.

Stage : Mild Dementia

At this stage, individuals may start to become socially withdrawn and show changes in personality and mood. Denial of symptoms as a defense mechanism is commonly seen in stage 4. Behaviors to look for include:

• Difficulty remembering things about one’s personal history
• Difficulty recognizing faces and people

In stage 4 dementia, individuals have no trouble recognizing familiar faces or traveling to familiar locations. However, patients in this stage will often avoid challenging situations in order to hide symptoms or prevent stress or anxiety.

Read Also: How Does Frontotemporal Dementia Progress

The Effects Of Alzheimers On The Brain

In people with Alzheimers disease, brain cells die and connections between brain cells may break down. One of the hallmark symptoms is abnormal protein deposits in the brain called plaques and tangles.

Plaques are dense clusters of protein that can block communication between neurons. Tangles are proteins that twist together that lead to the death of healthy brain cells.

In advanced Alzheimers, the brain shows significant shrinkage. Changes in the brain may occur a or more before symptoms start.

Its impossible to diagnose Alzheimers with complete accuracy while a person is alive. The diagnosis can only be confirmed when the brain is examined under a microscope during an autopsy. However, specialists can make the correct diagnosis up to 90 percent of the time.

The symptoms of Alzheimers and dementia can overlap, but there can be some differences.

Both conditions can cause:

• behavioral changes
• difficulty speaking, swallowing, or walking in advanced stages of the disease

Some types of dementia will share some of these symptoms, but they include or exclude other symptoms that can help make a differential diagnosis.

Lewy body dementia , for example, has many of the same later symptoms as Alzheimers. However, people with LBD but are more likely to experience initial symptoms such as visual hallucinations, difficulties with balance, and sleep disturbances.

Medications For Cognitive Symptoms

No disease-modifying drugs are available for Alzheimers disease, but some options may reduce the symptoms and help improve quality of life.

Drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors can ease cognitive symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, altered thought processes, and judgment problems. They improve neural communication across the brain and slow the progress of these symptoms.

Three common drugs with Food and Drug Administration approval to treat these symptoms of Alzheimers disease are:

• donepezil , to treat all stages
• galantamine , to treat mild-to-moderate stages
• rivastigmine , to treat mild-to-moderate stages

Another drug, called memantine , has approval to treat moderate-to-severe Alzheimers disease. A combination of memantine and donepezil is also available.

You May Like: What Are Good Activities For Dementia Patients

Understanding The Alzheimers Disease

Alzheimers is a neurological disorder that causes cognitive decline. In addition, it makes it hard to solve problems and juggle many tasks at once. Neglecting to provide the necessary care and attention in a timely manner can cause a persons behaviour to change over time many people, for example, develop concentration problems and become socially withdrawn as a result.

The slow degeneration and eventual death of brain cells are common symptoms of many chronic illnesses, especially in the elderly. This Alzheimers Day, lets learn about its 10 early signs and symptoms.

Is It Dementia Or Old Age

A list of dementia symptoms may include factors like decreased focus, lack of motivation, or decreased memory. Suffering from these symptoms doesn’t always point to dementia. In fact, many dementia symptoms can be a completely normal part of aging, or can be signs of other afflictions like depression. In understanding dementia, one of the most important first steps is learning what distinguishes regular cognitive changes from dementia.

Most people experience mild cognitive changes and memory loss as they begin to move into their 50s. One of the clearest indicators of dementia is the speed of progression. Regular mental decline associated with aging is usually a slow and gradual loss of memory or attention span. Dementia, however, is often characterized by rapid, sudden, and severe changes in memory and cognitive ability.

For dementia symptoms that overlap with normal aging-related cognitive changes, there are distinguishing factors that can help understand whether or not these are regular changes. These can include:

You May Like: Is Alzheimer’s Caused By Prions

Talking With A Doctor

After considering the persons symptoms and ordering screening tests, the doctor may offer a preliminary diagnosis or refer the person to a Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service clinic, neurologist, geriatrician or psychiatrist.Some people may be resistant to the idea of visiting a doctor. In some cases, people do not realise, or else they deny, that there is anything wrong with them. This can be due to the brain changes of dementia that interfere with the ability to recognise or appreciate the changes occurring. Others have an insight of the changes, but may be afraid of having their fears confirmed.One of the most effective ways to overcome this problem is to find another reason for a visit to the doctor. Perhaps suggest a check-up for a symptom that the person is willing to acknowledge, such as blood pressure, or suggest a review of a long-term condition or medication.Another way is to suggest that it is time for both of you to have a physical check-up. Any expressed anxiety by the person is an excellent opportunity to suggest a visit to the doctor. Be sure to provide a lot of reassurance. A calm, caring attitude at this time can help overcome the person’s very real worries and fears.Sometimes, your friend or family member may refuse to visit the doctor to ask about their symptoms. You can take a number of actions to get support including:

• talking with other carers who may have had to deal with similar situations

Psychological And Psychosocial Therapies

Psychological therapies for dementia include some limited evidence for reminiscence therapy , some benefit for cognitive reframing for caretakers, unclear evidence for validation therapy and tentative evidence for mental exercises, such as cognitive stimulation programs for people with mild to moderate dementia. Offering personally tailored activities may help reduce challenging behavior and may improve quality of life. It is not clear if personally tailored activities have an impact on affect or improve for the quality of life for the caregiver.

Adult daycare centers as well as special care units in nursing homes often provide specialized care for dementia patients. Daycare centers offer supervision, recreation, meals, and limited health care to participants, as well as providing respite for caregivers. In addition, home care can provide one-to-one support and care in the home allowing for more individualized attention that is needed as the disorder progresses. Psychiatric nurses can make a distinctive contribution to people’s mental health.

Some London hospitals found that using color, designs, pictures and lights helped people with dementia adjust to being at the hospital. These adjustments to the layout of the dementia wings at these hospitals helped patients by preventing confusion.

Cognitive training

Personally tailored activities

Don’t Miss: What Type Of Doctor Treats Alzheimer’s Patients

What’s The Life Expectancy Of A Person With Dementia

Theres no easy way to answer this question. Dementia is an umbrella term that covers the many different types of underlying neurodegenerative diseases.

Each type of neurodegenerative disease has its own unique pattern and development in each person. Also, each person has a unique health profile. Some people may be relatively healthy and others may have several co-existing health issues. All of these factors play a role in the pace of decline in a person with dementia.

To answer more broadly, Alzheimers is the most common type of dementia. The average lifespan after the earliest symptoms is eight years. However, some people have lived as long as 20 years after an Alzheimers disease diagnosis.