Experts emphasize the importance of catching dementia at an early stage, because the early recognition of this disease allows families and health professionals to act quickly, suppress some more serious symptoms, and improve the quality of life of a person, he writes.
“It is also important to realize that there are many ways we can support people to live well with dementia, even if there are no drugs to slow its progression.” said the British Alzheimer Society.
In addition to memory lapses, however, other important symptoms of dementia are often overlooked, but their repeated persistence or the occurrence of several at the same time should prompt you to seek medical help. Five Signs of Possible Dementia You Shouldn’t Ignore!
A study led by Angelina Sutin, a professor of behavioral sciences at Florida State University, found that people with dementia experience personality changes before they experience cognitive decline. It is among them a decrease in extroversion, a tendency to agree, and a loss of sense of responsibility, while these changes accelerate as the symptoms of the disease progress.
2. Difficulty driving the vehicle
According to neurology professor Ganesh Babulal of the University of Washington, it can be difficult to drive one of the first signs of cognitive decline, even years before as other symptoms manifest themselves, because driving engages several cognitive systems.
Loss of smell is one of the first signs of neurodegeneration. The olfactory system that controls this sense is often damaged years or even decades before other symptoms appear. Each disease affects the sense of smell differently: in Alzheimer’s disease, smells are perceived but confusing, while in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies they are not.
4. Difficulty sleeping
Sleep disorders are common in old age, but drastic changes can be a sign of dementia. The areas of the brain that regulate sleep are among the first to be affected in Alzheimer’s disease and cause disorders several years earlier than memory problems. In dementia with Lewy bodies and In Parkinson’s disease, REM sleep behavior disorders can occur, where the person dreams while making movements or screams. According to neurologist Ronald Postum, it’s not just sleepwalking, because patients often seek help after as their partner alerts them to violent or unusual sleep behavior.
Although financial problems are very common and can have a variety of causes, if they occur along with other cognitive or behavioral changes, they can be an early sign of dementia. For example forgetting to pay bills, making impulsive purchases, or trusting untrustworthy people can indicate impaired judgment and brain function. According to neuroscientist Winston Chiong, multiple areas of the brain are involved in managing finances, making it one of the first areas to show cognitive problems.
