5 Early Warning Signs of Dementia

Is it normal aging or dementia?

Source: Gordon Johnson/Pixabay

If you’re middle-aged or older and you start forgetting where you put your keys or your phone, or sometimes have difficulty remembering the names of people you know, you may wonder if you’re starting to have “senior moments” or show early signs of dementia. While your health care provider may assure you that some types of forgetting are simply normal signs of aging, scientists at the University of Cambridge in the UK have determined which changes in brain function could predict future worsening of symptoms and a diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s disease or a less common form of dementia known as frontotemporal dementia.

The researchers collected and analyzed information on study participant’s health, disease diagnoses, weight changes, and number of falls, as well as the results of tests measuring memory, problem-solving abilities, reaction times, and grip strength at the beginning of the study and at followup between five and nine years later. Compared to healthier individuals, those participants who were later given a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or frontotemporal dementia had earlier scored lower on tests that involved five specific areas of concern:

1. Problem-solving
2. Number recall
3. Reaction time
4. Pair matching
5. Prospective memory (remembering to do something at a later time)

Those participants who ultimately developed frontotemporal dementia were found twice as likely as healthier participants to have fallen in the year prior to diagnosis. Those who later developed Alzheimer’s disease showed a decrease in fluid intelligence (abstract thinking, quick thinking, and the ability to solve problems) and were also more likely to have had a fall as well as an increased tendency to lose weight.

While it has already been established that changes in both cognition and physical abilities occur years before Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of neurodegenerative disease are diagnosed, this is the first study to determine which specific symptoms may be predictive, especially in Alzheimer’s disease. Larger and broader studies will help establish whether the results are representative of various age groups, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses and if they apply to other forms of neurodegenerative disease.

It’s important to remember that even healthy people can develop mild but similar symptoms and may score higher or lower on the same tests than those who are later diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. It’s important to speak with a medical professional about any symptoms that concern you, so they can begin to identify and track any cognitive or functional changes that may worsen over time.

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