Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the seventh leading cause of death is dementia, a brain condition that can also affect the nerves? More than 55 million people worldwide suffer from this condition.
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In addition to memory loss, there are several other symptoms and warning signs of dementia that can be identified. This brain condition not only interferes with people’s day-to-day activities but can also affect their language, judgment, or reasoning abilities.
In this blog, we will discuss the top 7 warning signs of dementia and how you can identify them.
What Is Dementia and How Does It Occur?
Dementia is a brain condition that results in a progressive decline in cognitive functioning. It occurs due to damage to the nerve cells or their connections in the brain. This damage can be caused by several different disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy Body disease, strokes, and others.
When there is a loss or damage in the connections of the brain cells, it can interfere with the person’s daily activities that involve the brain, like thinking, focusing, communication, mood, movement, and memory.
Dementia is more common in older adults above 65 years of age, but it is not a natural part of aging. Many older adults spend their entire lifespan without dementia.
Normal cognitive changes with aging may include taking longer to remember words or the date, referred to as delayed recall. Older adults will also often take longer to learn new information than younger adults. However, failing to remember words at all, misplacing things without finding them, or forgetting recent events completely, can be signs of dementia.
7 Warning Signs of Dementia
The 7 most common dementia symptoms and warning signs include:
1. Problems With Short-Term Memory
The key warning sign of dementia is problems with short-term memory or difficulty in remembering recent events, which interferes with daily life.
For example, patients with dementia can completely forget what they ate for lunch or who came to meet them that day but remember life events that took place years ago.
2. Struggling With Daily Tasks
Complex tasks are usually the first ones that cause difficulty, such as shopping, cooking, driving, and paying bills. As the condition progresses, a person with dementia may struggle with simpler tasks such as eating and choosing clothing.
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3. Difficulty in Communication
A person with dementia may be unable to find or say the right words while speaking or writing. People may express feeling “stuck” and become upset while communicating and expressing thoughts or emotions.
4. Mood Changes
Changes in mood or behavior may appear, such as depressed, anxious, aggressive, suspicious, or irritable moods without an apparent trigger. Sometimes persons with more advanced dementia are described as having had a “personality shift.”
For example, a person who was usually a helpful and caring adult may become fearful and unwilling to be alone or participate in daily activities.
Mood changes can occur in any individual, but a person with dementia may face more severe and frequent behavioral and mood changes, becoming easily and frequently upset, angry, or tearful.
5. Poor Judgement and Problem Solving
A person with dementia may have increased difficulty choosing what to do, even in simple scenarios. For example, they may sit down in the middle of an unfamiliar place instead of continuing to walk, urinate outside a bathroom that is new to them, or become unable to care for a long-time pet.
6. Disorientation in Time and Space
A person with dementia may lose their sense of direction, such as having problems finding their way in familiar or known places such as their neighborhood or even their own house. People may have trouble judging distance, lose their balance, or trip or spill things more often. A sense of time may also be lost, such as comprehending that an event is happening in the future or already happened in the past, instead of right now.
7. Loss of Interest
A person with dementia may also lose interest in activities they previously enjoyed or considered fun and entertaining. This may be due to being unable to keep track of complex tasks, difficulty with traveling, or a desire to avoid social interactions.
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Conclusion
Persons with cognitive changes may notice changes in themselves first, but friends and family may also be the first to see changes in memory, behavior, or abilities. Cognitive problems that interfere with daily life are not a normal part of aging. People with one or more warning signs may wish to see a healthcare professional for further evaluation and advice. Earlier diagnosis may provide a chance to seek treatment and plan for the future.
REFERENCES:
- World Health Organization.(2020, Dec 9). The top 10 causes of death. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death
- World Health Organization.(2023, March 15). Dementia. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia
- National Institute on Aging.(2023, Nov 22). Memory problems, forgetfulness, and aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/memory-problems-forgetfulness-and-aging#difference
- Alzheimer’s Association/ CDD. The Healthy Brain Initiative: 2018-2023 Road Map. 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/healthybrain/pdf/10-Warning-Signs-HBI-Road-Map-508.pdf
About the Author
Reviewed by Dr. Alice Pomidor
Dr. Alice Pomidor, MD, MPH, was born and raised in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She received her MD degree from the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, in 1984. Dr. Pomidor is a retired professor at Florida State University College of Medicine, and is an active member of the Capital Medical Society, the Safe Mobility for Life Coalition, and the American Geriatrics Society, where she was past Chair of the Public Education Committee. The most rewarding part of her job has been helping older adults achieve their health care goals, teaching medical students and residents, and working with community groups to advance improvements in the local health care community. Her areas of expertise include geriatrics, driving for older adults, exercise for older adults, dementia care, and falls. In her free time, Dr. Pomidor enjoys spending time with family, walking her dogs, reading, photography, and watching movies.
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