10 Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

10 Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

By Layne Lowery

Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease differ by individual, as well as day-to-day. Some signs may be so subtle that they may go unnoticed by family or friends, while other symptoms will become increasingly obvious over time.

The following checklist was written by the Alzheimer's Association1 to assist individuals determine if they or a loved one have the early warning signs of the disease. We thank them for making this valuable information available to the public.

1. Memory loss. One of the most common early signs of dementia is forgetting recently learned information. While it's normal to forget appointments, names or telephone numbers, those with Alzheimer's disease will forget such things more often and not remember them later.

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People with Alzheimer's disease often find it hard to complete familiar, everyday tasks which they previously did without thinking. A person with Alzheimer's may forget how to cook, make repairs or how to play cards.

3. Problems with language. Everyone has trouble finding the right word occasionally, but a person with Alzheimer's disease often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words.

4. Disorientation to time and place. It's normal to forget the day of the week or where you are going. But people with Alzheimer's disease can become lost on their own street, forget where they are and how they got there, and not know how to get back home.

5. Poor or decreased judgment. No one has perfect judgment all of the time. Those with Alzheimer's may dress without regard to weather, wearing several shirts or blouses on a warm day, or very little clothing on a cold day. Individuals with Alzheimer's disease often show poor judgment about money, giving away large amounts of money to telemarketers, overpaying for home repairs or buying products they don't need.

6. Problems with abstract thinking. Balancing a checkbook may be hard when the task is more complicated than usual. Someone with Alzheimer's disease could forget completely what the numbers are and what needs to be done with them.

7. Misplacing things. Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or key. A person with Alzheimer's may put things in unusual places: An iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

8. Changes in mood or behavior. Everyone can become sad or moody. Someone with Alzheimer's disease can show rapid mood swings (from calm to tears to anger) for no apparent reason.

9. Changes in personality. People's personalities ordinarily change somewhat with age. But a person with Alzheimer's disease can change a lot, becoming extremely confused, suspicious, fearful or dependent on a family member.

10. Loss of initiative. It's normal to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations at times. The person with Alzheimer's may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual, or not wanting to do usual activities.

Can Alzheimer's Disease be Prevented?

So far there is no guaranteed way of preventing Alzheimer's disease. But ongoing research is revealing some exciting possibilities for warding off the disease:

Exercising the Brain. People who keep their brains active by reading or doing jigsaw puzzles, word games or chess are less likely to have Alzheimer's disease. "We found that frequency of cognitive activity, but not of physical activity, was associated with risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and the rate of cognitive decline. We found that compared to persons with infrequent cognitive activity, risk of developing Alzheimer's disease was reduced by about 50% in people who were frequently cognitively active," said Robert Wilson, Ph.D.1

"There has been an emerging concept from a number of studies that brain reserve may be a protective factor against Alzheimer's disease... there's a suggestion that people with lower levels of formal education have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease. And so that would be an early-to-adult life influence on the brain reserve. What [studies] may show is that perhaps staying active during later life could modulate or sustain brain function, and again, that could possibly be protective," said Douglas Galasko, M.D., professor of the department of neurosciences at the University of California-San Diego and staff scientist at the VA San Diego Healthcare System.

Exercising your body. Thirty minutes of daily activity has tremendous benefit to the heart, muscles and brain. Walk, garden, clean your house, rake leaves, go dancing or exercise (try minimal exercises while still sitting in your chair).

Drinking plenty of fluids. Dehydration (not having enough water, juices, milk or other fluids) is a major factor in temporary memory loss. Drink plenty of fluids and cut down or eliminate alcohol.

Use caution with medications. Your doctor should know all the over-the-counter and prescribed medications you are taking. Some combinations may cause confusion or forgetfulness, and even long-term damage to your memory.

Eat a healthy diet. Eat five fruits and vegetables a day to promote a healthy mind and body. Dark greens and leafy vegetables, like broccoli, spinach and romaine lettuce, are especially beneficial.

Supplement the brain with Phosphatidylserine (PS).2 Several double-blind clinical studies suggest that taking phosphatidylserine during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease can slow the rate of deterioration for those suffering from Alzheimer's. So, the earlier a person begins taking phosphatidylserine, the better--especially when the disease runs in the family.

Here are some examples of promising research:

* Forty patients with probable Alzheimer's disease received either social support, cognitive training only or cognitive training in combination with pyritinol (a derivative of vitamin B6) or phosphatidylserine. After six months, patients given cognitive training plus phosphatidylserine showed "a significant glucose enhancement during the stimulation tasks in various brain regions and improvement in cognitive functioning compared to the other groups."

* Fifty-one patients meeting clinical criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease were studied. Patients were treated for 12 weeks with a formulation of phosphatidylserine or placebos. Patients treated with the phosphatidylserine drug improved on several cognitive measures compared with those who were given placebos. Differences between treatment groups were most apparent among patients with less severe cognitive impairment. Results suggest that phosphatidylserine may be a promising candidate for study in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Remember, early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other disorders causing dementia is an important step in getting appropriate treatment, care and support services, and maintaining the quality of life for a longer period of time.

Resources

Resources Alzheimer's Association, 919 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611-1676; 1-800-272-3900. This is the largest national voluntary health organization supporting Alzheimer's research and care. They can help find a local Alzheimer's chapter that often has video lending libraries, caregiver support and more.

Alzheimer's Disease Education & Referral Center (ADEAR), Service of the National Institute on Aging, P.O. Box 8250, Silver Spring, MD 209078250. The U.S. Congress created ADEAR in 1990 to compile, archive and disseminate information on Alzheimer's disease to the public. ADEAR is operated as a service of the National Institute on Aging and National Institutes of Health. Call 1-800-438-4380.

References

1. Alzheimer's Association, 919 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611- 1676; 1-800-272-3900.
2. Wilson, RS et al. Neurology, Nov 2007; 69: 1911-1920.
3. Balch, J. Prescription for Healthy Living (newsletter).