Assessing Your Mental Abilities
A specialist will usually assess your mental abilities using a special series of questions.
One widely used test is the mini mental state examination . This involves being asked to carry out activities such as memorising a short list of objects correctly and identifying the current day of the week, month and year. Different memory clinics may also use other, longer tests.
The MMSE isn’t used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, but it’s useful to initially assess areas of difficulty that a person with the condition may have. This helps specialists to make decisions about treatment and whether more tests are necessary.
Changes In Mood Or Emotion
The person may be more anxious, frightened or sad, and so at risk of depression. It is also common to become more irritable perhaps in frustration at lost abilities or easily upset. A person can often be more withdrawn, lack self-confidence and lose interest in hobbies or people.
Changes in behaviour are not common in early-stage dementia, other than in FTD. A person with behavioural variant FTD may lose their inhibitions and behave in socially inappropriate ways. They may also act impulsively and lose empathy for others.
Significant physical changes at this stage tend to be limited to DLB, where problems with movement are similar to Parkinsons disease. If someone with vascular or mixed dementia has a stroke, this can lead to weak limbs on one side.
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Everybody forgets things from time to time. But if you or other people are noticing that memory problems are getting worse, or affecting everyday life, it could be a sign of dementia.
Indications Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Early symptoms of Alzheimers disease are lapses with memory.
At first, these lapses may be infrequent and inconsistent, but over time they become more regular. As the disease progresses, new symptoms will present themselves, such as uncontrollable anxiety, fear, confusion, and anger. Mood swings occur for no apparent reason. Judgment becomes impaired. Familiar-even simple-tasks, such as boiling water, become difficult. And misplacing possessions becomes a regular occurrence.
These could be viewed as inconveniences, as mild cognitive impairments. But the disease is far more debilitating than what these beginning stages reveal. As the disease progresses, mobility becomes limited. Eating becomes something often forgotten. Speaking becomes difficult, or even impossible. Increasing neurological damage can result in heart attack, stroke, and other common causes of death. Researchers now believe that Alzheimers disease begins to develop in the brain up to 20 years before the first symptoms occur, and that deterioration can continue for 10 to 20 years after diagnosis. It is a slow, painful, costly disease and it is always fatal.
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What You Can Do
If you think you notice the signs of Alzheimerâs in yourself or a loved one, the best thing to do is to talk to a doctor. They can let you know what the symptoms mean and what your options are for treating them. There are new advances available which can help with early detection and treatment. One is as simple as a blood test to determine the presence or absence of proteins that may indicate there are Alzheimer’s associated plaques in the brain.
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Signs Of Dementia Where To Find Help
When your loved one is displaying troubling symptoms, a trip to a primary care physician is often the first step. But to get a definitive diagnosis, youll need to see a specialist such as a neurologist, geriatrician or geriatric psychiatrist.
If you cant find one, the National Institute on Aging recommends contacting the neurology department of a nearby medical school. Some hospitals also have clinics that focus on dementia.
Ailments can mimic dementia
Vitamin deficiencies
Specialists will want to know about the patients personal and family medical history. A close relative or relatives having had Alzheimers is a major risk factor.
Recent research suggests that a prevalence among even members of your extended family can increase your dementia risk. Doctors also will conduct physical and neurological exams to rule out other treatable causes for dementia symptoms.
Some of the methods that doctors use to diagnose dementia:
Cognitive and neuropsychological tests assess language and math skills, memory, problem-solving and other types of mental functioning.
Lab tests of blood and other fluids, including checking levels of various chemicals, hormones and vitamins, can help rule out nondementia causes for the symptoms.
Brain scans such as CT, MRI or PET imaging can spot changes in brain structure and function. These tests also can identify strokes, tumors and other problems that can cause dementia.
More on Dementia
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Difficulty Finding The Right Words
Another early symptom of dementia is difficulty with communicating thoughts. A person with dementia may have a hard time explaining something or finding the right words to express themselves. They may also stop in the middle of a sentence and not know how to continue.
Having a conversation with a person who has dementia can be challenging, and it may take longer than usual for them to express their thoughts or feelings.
How Is Alzheimers Diagnosed And Treated
Doctors may ask questions about health, conduct cognitive tests, and carry out standard medical tests to determine whether to diagnose a person with Alzheimers disease. If a doctor thinks a person may have Alzheimers, they may refer the person to a specialist, such as a neurologist, for further assessment. Specialists may conduct additional tests, such as brain scans or lab tests of spinal fluid, to help make a diagnosis. These tests measure signs of the disease, such as changes in brain size or levels of certain proteins.
There is currently no cure for Alzheimers, though there are several medicines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that can help manage some symptoms of the disease along with coping strategies to manage behavioral symptoms. In 2021, FDA provided accelerated approval for a new medication, aducanumab, that targets the protein beta-amyloid, which accumulates abnormally in the brains of people with Alzheimers. The new medication helps to reduce amyloid deposits, but has not yet been shown to affect clinical symptoms or outcomes, such as progression of cognitive decline or dementia.
Most medicines work best for people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimers. Researchers are exploring other drug therapies and nondrug interventions to delay or prevent the disease as well as treat its symptoms.
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When To See A Doctor
An Alzheimers Association survey found nearly all primary care physicians say its important to assess patients who are at least 60 years old for cognitive decline. However, a large portion of eligible patients miss out on this important screeningless than half of patients 60 years or older receive cognitive assessmentsMore Than Normal Aging: Understanding Mild Cognitive Impairment. Alzheimers Association. Accessed 9/1/2022. .
Even if there are little-to-no brain health or cognitive concerns, its helpful to establish a baseline of brain health should there be any changes or neurological injuries in the future, as well as to ensure that various aspects of brain health are measured and considered, says Glatt. Early signs of abnormal cognitive decline may be detected, which can be helpful for preventing additional or further cognitive decline. If there are any symptoms that an individual or family member may feel concerned about, its always helpful to go forth with medical consultation as opposed to assuming a cognitive change may be rationalized as normal aging.
Development Of Medical Testing
A number of advances introduced mostly in the 19th century, allowed for more objective assessment by the physician in search of a diagnosis, and less need of input from the patient. During the 20th century the introduction of a wide range of imaging techniques have made a huge impact on diagnostic capability. Other developments in the field of genetics, medical biochemistry, and molecular diagnostics have also played major roles.
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Withdrawing From Hobbies Or Family
Its common in midlife to have periods of low motivation, or feeling less sociable than usual, says Puckering.
But if you find yourself consistently becoming more confrontational than usual, or regularly snapping at your family, you may want to see a doctor to rule out other conditions including menopause, a mood disorder such as depression, a thyroid condition or even a vitamin deficiency.”
Others in the family may notice these changes before the person themselves.
Difficulty Performing Activities Of Daily Living
Making mistakes while completing familiar tasks, such as bathing, dressing and performing normal daily tasks like writing a grocery list or managing ones finances, may also be an earlier warning sign of Alzheimers. Another common example is experiencing trouble driving to a familiar location, forgetting where one is going or how to get to the desired location while en route.
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Early Symptoms Of Dementia
Although the early signs vary, common early symptoms of dementia include:
- memory problems, particularly remembering recent events
- increasing confusion
- apathy and withdrawal or depression
- loss of ability to do everyday tasks.
Sometimes, people fail to recognise that these symptoms indicate that something is wrong. They may mistakenly assume that such behaviour is a normal part of the ageing process. Symptoms may also develop gradually and go unnoticed for a long time. Also, some people may refuse to act, even when they know something is wrong.
What Are Early Symptoms Of Memory Loss
Early symptoms of memory loss include taking longer to learn new things and forgetting where things were placed. Other symptoms you might experience include:
- Losing things or forgetting where you put them
- Forgetting which word you wanted to use when speaking
- Forgetting the day for a moment, but then remembering it later
- Missing a monthly payment or an appointment you had scheduled in advance
- Making a bad decision every so often because you forgot an important detail
However, it is important to note that these symptoms should only happen occasionally. When forgetfulness becomes chronic or more extreme in nature, it can be a warning sign of dementia and Alzheimers disease.
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A Guide To Dementia: The Types And Symptoms
When we hear dementia, the first condition that pops into our mind is probably Alzheimers. It is the most well-known and common degenerative brain disease. However, its not the only one. Dementia is an overarching term for the range of diseases that shows symptoms of memory loss, mood shift, cognitive decline, and other cognitive issues that affects ones ability to live normally. Identifying which type of dementia your loved one has early on can tremendously help with the caring and treatment for their condition. You can make lifestyle changes and critical decisions about their healthcare which will slow the rate of cognitive decline. Read on to learn more about the different types and symptoms of dementia.
Emotion And Behavior Treatments
The emotional and behavioral changes linked with Alzheimers disease can be challenging to manage. People may increasingly experience irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, sleep problems, and other difficulties.
Treating the underlying causes of these changes can be helpful. Some may be side effects of medications, discomfort from other medical conditions, or problems with hearing or vision.
Identifying what triggered these behaviors and avoiding or changing these things can help people deal with the changes. Triggers may include changing environments, new caregivers, or being asked to bathe or change clothes.
It is often possible to change the environment to resolve obstacles and boost the persons comfort, security, and peace of mind.
The Alzheimers Association offer a list of helpful coping tips for caregivers.
In some cases, a doctor may recommend medications for these symptoms, such as:
- antidepressants, for low mood
develops due to the death of brain cells. It is a neurodegenerative condition, which means that the brain cell death happens over time.
In a person with Alzheimers, the brain tissue has fewer and fewer nerve cells and connections, and tiny deposits, known as plaques and tangles, build up on the nerve tissue.
Plaques develop between the dying brain cells. They are made from a protein known as beta-amyloid. The tangles, meanwhile, occur within the nerve cells. They are made from another protein, called tau.
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Do What You Can To Prevent Or Slow Memory Loss
Some extent of memory loss is inevitable, but you can help decrease how it affects you when you exercise, eat well, stay in touch with loved ones, learn new things, and get enough restorative sleep. Be consistent with your efforts over a long-term basis to ensure you are doing all you can to keep your mind sharp.
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What Are The Stages Of Alzheimers
Alzheimers disease slowly gets worse over time. People with this disease progress at different rates and in several stages. Symptoms may get worse and then improve, but until an effective treatment for the disease itself is found, the persons ability will continue to decline over the course of the disease.
Early-stage Alzheimers is when a person begins to experience memory loss and other cognitive difficulties, though the symptoms appear gradual to the person and their family. Alzheimers disease is often diagnosed at this stage.
During middle-stage Alzheimers, damage occurs in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. People at this stage may have more confusion and trouble recognizing family and friends.
In late-stage Alzheimers, a person cannot communicate, is completely dependent on others for care, and may be in bed most or all the time as the body shuts down.
How long a person can live with Alzheimers disease varies. A person may live as few as three or four years if he or she is older than 80 when diagnosed, to as long as 10 or more years if the person is younger. Older adults with Alzheimers disease need to know their end-of-life care options and express their wishes to caregivers as early as possible after a diagnosis, before their thinking and speaking abilities fail.
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Dr Zoe Says Walking Can Reduce Risk Of Dementia
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In the early stages, dementia symptoms can be hard to detect. The symptoms may even be misperceived as normal ageing because the changes are so gradual, stated the social care institute for excellence .
Who Gets Alzheimers Disease
Anyone can develop Alzheimers disease, but it is more common in older age.
Genetics, lifestyle and health factors are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.
In a few cases, Alzheimers disease is inherited, caused by a genetic mutation. This is called familial Alzheimers disease, with symptoms occurring at a relatively young age. This is usually when someone is in their 50s, but sometimes younger.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition, which means the symptoms develop gradually and become more severe over the course of several years. It affects multiple brain functions.
The first sign of Alzheimer’s disease is usually minor memory problems. For example, this could be forgetting about recent conversations or events, and forgetting the names of places and objects.
As the condition develops, memory problems become more severe and further symptoms can develop, such as:
- confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places
- difficulty planning or making decisions
- problems with speech and language
- problems moving around without assistance or performing self-care tasks
- personality changes, such as becoming aggressive, demanding and suspicious of others
- hallucinations and delusions
- low mood or anxiety
Read more about the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
What Are The Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Memory loss is usually the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Often the person who has a memory problem doesn’t notice it, but family and friends do.
Having some short-term memory loss in your 60s and 70s is common, but this doesn’t mean it’s Alzheimer’s disease.
Normal memory problems aren’t the same as the kind of memory problems that may be caused by Alzheimer’s disease. For example, normally you might forget:
- Parts of an experience.
- Where your car is parked.
- A person’s name.
With Alzheimer’s disease, you might forget:
- An entire experience.
- What your car looks like.
- Having ever known a certain person.
Following are some of the symptoms of mild, moderate, and severe Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms vary as the disease progresses. Talk to your doctor if a friend or family member has any of the signs.
Mild Alzheimer’s disease
Usually, a person with mild Alzheimer’s disease:
- Avoids new and unfamiliar situations.
- Has delayed reactions.
- Has trouble learning and remembering new information.
- Starts speaking more slowly than in the past.
- Starts using poor judgment and making wrong decisions.
- May have mood swings and become depressed, grouchy, or restless.
These symptoms often are more obvious when the person is in a new and unfamiliar place or situation.
Some people have memory loss called mild cognitive impairment. People with this condition are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. But not all people with mild cognitive impairment progress to dementia.
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