Alzheimer's Disease Early Signs and Symptoms

Alzheimer's disease is a troubling condition that many people have suffered from.  According to stats on the disease, 1 out of 10 people over the age of 65 years old has the disease and over half of the people over 85 plus have it.  Basically, Alzheimer's is a common form of "dementia".  This is a serious brain disorder that impacts the individual with memory loss and changes in their cognition. The disease makes an unfortunate progression starting with basic forgetfulness, then progressing to more widespread brain impairment, followed by death.

This page will provide the early warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.  Identifying these can help provide the best care and Alzheimer's disease treatment for your loved one or friend who may have the disease.  Please note that this advice here should never supercede the opionion of your primary physician or other medical specialist.

There's plenty of early indicator symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease. First, it's very important to note that as we age, the brain shrinks, and this produces normal issues with how we remember, think, and process things. Many elders suffer from "senior moments" where they misplace keys, miss making a right turn, or forget to record a check they used. These are not necessarily indicators of Alzheimer's disease and are considered normal behavior for many elders.

Someone who has the disease in its early stages may place important objects in strange places, forget family member names or the names of common objects. Additionally, they may forget entire conversations on a regular basis. A person with early stage Alzheimer's may be unable to follow the directions of a recipe, manage a checkbook, and get lost in familiar areas. Also, a person with Alzheimer's tends to withdraw from usual interests in their everyday life.

The Alzheimer's Association gives 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's:

1) Memory loss
2) Difficulty performing familiar tasks
3) Problems with language
4) Disorientation to time and place
5) Poor or decreased judgment
6) Problems with abstract thinking
7) Misplacing things
8) Changes in mood or behavior
9) Changes in personality
10) Loss of initiative

Also it's important to know that memory loss or loss of cognitive abilities isn't always an indicator of Alzheimer's. Various conditions or disorders can also cause these symptoms, including depression, sleep deprivation, meningitis, syphillis, hypothyroidism, malnutrition, Parkinson's disease and various brain tumors or head injuries. In the event of observing a person having noticeable and/or sudden change in their memory or cognitive abilities, it is best to consult with a doctor or specialist.

If Alzheimer's disease signs or symptoms appear all of a sudden, then you should definitely seek medical assistance.  The quicker you intervene in getting your condition diagnosed, the better the chance of successful treatments and managing the condition.  You can visit a skilled general practitioner, neurologist, or geriatrician to make a diagnosis.  There is no real test used to determine Alzheimer's but these medical professionals will be able to make the best diganosis and decisions regarding your situation.