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Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disorder, which is the most common form of dementia, accounting for more than 75% of cases of dementia. As per the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, there are more than 3.69 million active cases of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias. This disease often goes undiagnosed until symptoms prevail and neuronal damage extends to a point that can sometimes leave the person bedridden if the damage is not treated or managed in time. Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease accounts for only 2-5% of all AD cases. The reason behind its delayed diagnosis is the lack of awareness regarding the early signs of Alzheimer's disease and the low literacy rates in India.
To promote awareness regarding AD and dementia, every year World Alzheimer’s Day is celebrated globally in September. Along with awareness, one should focus on recognising the early signs of Alzheimer’s to seek timely medical advice and improve their chances of managing the condition effectively.
Synopsis
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that starts slowly but progressively worsens, affecting important brain functions. The brain cells degenerate and eventually die, causing memory loss and a decline in other important functions, affecting daily activities. Finding AD early can improve treatment outcomes, which is possible by knowing the early signs of this disease.
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Memory loss is generally the first sign of AD that gets noticed, but it's often ignored due to age-related changes. If something is consistent and starts affecting your life, it needs to be evaluated. Recognising the Alzheimer’s disease symptoms early is essential to get prompt diagnosis and treatment.
10 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
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Memory Loss: Memory loss that disrupts your daily life is one of the most common early signs of AD. Forgetting recently learnt information, important names, dates or events, asking the same questions again, and relying on reminders to remember normal things could be due to AD.
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Planning and Problem-Solving Issues: Facing challenges in following a plan, or a familiar recipe, having trouble concentrating on detailed tasks, keeping track of monthly bills and taking much longer to do a simple task are all the signs of AD.
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Familiar Daily Tasks are a Challenge: Completing simple and familiar daily tasks becomes difficult. You may face trouble driving to a familiar location, organising tasks at work, or even forgetting the rules of your favourite game.
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Time and Places Become Confusing: If you have AD, you may lose track of places and the passage of time. You may find it difficult to remember what’s happening right now, where you are and how you got there.
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Vision Changes: Facing changes in vision and difficulty in judging colours, distance or reading something from far away that affects your driving could be due to AD.
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Trouble in Speaking or Writing: This sometimes happens with ageing, but if you have Alzheimer's disease (AD), you may experience difficulty with vocabulary. You might struggle to speak familiar words, pause frequently during conversations, use incorrect names, or repeat yourself.
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Misplacing Things: During adulthood misplacing things is common, but in Alzheimer’s, after losing things, you are unable to retrace steps to find it again. As the disease progresses, you may keep things in unusual places and accuse others of stealing them.
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Judgement or Decision-Making Issues: Facing decreased or poor judgement, making wrong decisions or mistakes with money, and paying less attention to grooming or dressing inappropriately could all be due to AD.
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Social Withdrawal: Feeling less motivated in public, sleeping more than usual, and not being involved in your favourite hobbies or social activities are all signs of AD.
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Personality and Mood Changes: If you have AD, you may feel more often depressed, scared, anxious and may become confused or suspicious of people. You may even get upset easily. Mood changes can also be due to other physical symptoms caused by AD, such as trouble sleeping, pain, etc.
Seeking Consultation with Doctor
If you experience one or more Alzheimer's disease symptoms, seek prompt consultation with a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. The earlier treatment begins, the better it is for relieving symptoms. The doctor will assess your physical and mental health, review your medical history, and conduct a mental status test. You may also be asked to undergo blood tests or brain scans to confirm the diagnosis. For accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for Alzheimer's, seek consultation with experienced neurology doctors at Manipal Hospitals, Pune.
Conclusion
Alzheimer's disease is a life-altering condition that requires timely diagnosis and intervention for better management of symptoms and overall quality of life. Understanding what is Alzheimer’s disease and recognising its symptoms early is crucial in seeking medical help and improving outcomes through proper care and treatment. While memory loss is often the first sign, other important symptoms should not be overlooked. If you or a loved one experience these signs, do not delay in seeking medical advice, as early intervention is key to managing Alzheimer’s disease effectively.
FAQ's
Alzheimer’s usually affects people after the age of 65. Although early-onset Alzheimer’s can affect people in their 30s or 40s.
There is no proper cure for AD, but its symptoms can be improved using medication and management strategies.
Although preventing Alzheimer’s is not possible, by leading an active and healthy lifestyle, one can reduce the risk of developing this disease.
Research is still ongoing to see the relationship between Alzheimer’s and stress. Though stress can not cause dementia or Alzheimer’s, but can play an important role in the progression of this disease.
After the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, the patient can live 4-8 years on average. One can even live for 20 years, depending on various other factors such as how soon you get treatment, etc.
You can schedule an appointment at Manipal Hospitals, Pune, by contacting us or visiting our website.
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