Alzheimer’s disease is generally thought to develop slowly and worsen over time, but researchers have identified some early warning signs that could help people get treatment sooner.
Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s is tricky to spot early on, and there’s no cure. And studies show that up to half of those suffering from the illness don’t even know they have it.
But experts say there are some warning signs to watch for, especially in friends and family members who may be at risk for Alzheimer’s.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of the disease:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life. This is probably the most familiar sign of Alzheimer’s disease, but not all memory loss is caused by the disorder. People who have memory loss unrelated to Alzheimer’s may forget an event or person occasionally and remember it later, for example. People with Alzheimer’s may forget entire events or periods of time and not be able to recall them at all.
- Challenges planning or solving problems. Due to damaged areas in their brain, people with Alzheimer’s might notice it takes longer to complete normal, everyday tasks than it did before — such as balancing a checkbook or following a recipe. They may also have trouble concentrating on a single task at hand or making decisions involving money or other financial issues. Perhaps you’re someone who was always good at solving crossword puzzles
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, work or leisure. For example, someone with Alzheimer’s might go grocery shopping but forget why they went there because they lost their train of thought while walking through the store.Confusion with time and place. Someone with early-stage Alzheimer’s might get lost in their own neighborhood or not know what day it is.
- Mood swings or personality changes. Mood changes happen as we get older and with stress too — but if they begin to change suddenly and often, this could be an early indicator of Alzheimer’s disease.
