Many people fear that normal age-related mental changes like forgotten words or misplaced keys are early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
But ongoing
issues with memory or problem-solving that disrupt your daily life can be an
indication of a larger problem.
Alzheimer’s is the most common
form of dementia.1 Although more common in people 60 years of age
or older, the number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years after age
65.1 Alzheimer’s occurs when abnormal deposits of proteins form
throughout the brain, primarily in the parts that store memories.2
These protein deposits interfere with your brain’s ability to transmit
information, and can cause neurons, specialized nerve cells, to die. Damage to
the brain may begin at least a decade before memory loss becomes evident.2
Watch for the Alzheimer’s
Association’s 10 early signs and symptoms in yourself or someone you know:
- Memory
loss. Forgetting important
dates or events, repeatedly asking for the same information, or increasingly
relying on notes or others to remember information you used to be able to retain. - Challenges
in problem-solving or planning. Finding
new difficulties in working with numbers, such as following a familiar recipe
or keeping track of bills. - Difficulty
completing familiar tasks. Daily tasks such as driving to a familiar location or remembering how to play a
favorite game. - Losing
track of dates, seasons and time. - Difficulty
understanding spatial relationships.
Newfound problems reading or judging distances when driving. - Difficulty
using words. Having trouble joining or
following a conversation - Misplacing
items. Losing
the ability to retrace steps in order to find them. - Impaired
judgement. Giving large sums of money to telemarketers or
strangers, or paying less attention to grooming or hygiene. - Withdrawing from work, family or society. Facing trouble
keeping up with their sports team or participating in a favorite hobby. - Mood swings and personality changes. Easily
becoming confused or suspicious, fearful or anxious, and getting easily
upset.
If you notice the symptoms last for a period of time and disrupt
daily life, don’t ignore them. Get checked—early detection matters.
By Nancy Kupka PhD, RN
Nancy Kupka is a Manager of Clinical Programs and Quality at
Walgreens and accepts the fact that she is always losing her keys.
Sources:
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Aging.
Alzheimers Disease. http://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm (accessed 7/18/16)
2 National Institute on Aging.
Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center. About Alzheimer’s Disease: Alzheimer’s Basics. https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/topics/alzheimers-basics
(accessed 9/25/16)
3 The Alzheimer’s Association.
10 Early Symptoms and Signs of Alzheimers. http://www.alz.org/10-signs-symptoms-alzheimers-dementia.asp
(accessed 7/18/16)
