10 early symptoms of dementia to notice

In dementia, brain cells are damaged or destroyed. And at first in different parts of Early Stages of Dementia. For some, the first thing that really suffers is the areas associated with the storage of memories. Otherwise, behavioral functions are at risk. In the third, cellular destruction affects the speed of thinking, the ability to speak or navigate in space.

The further the disease progresses, the more areas of the brain it affects. And it does not stop until it completely erases a person's personality.

Dementia Fact Sheet affects about 50 million people worldwide today. Every year, this figure is supplemented by a new 10 million.

There are many types of dementia - from the well-known Alzheimer's disease to various vascular disorders. The bad news is there is no cure. But there is also a good one: the development of dementia can be stopped, and some of its Warning Signs of Dementia symptoms can be smoothed out almost to complete disappearance. The main thing is to notice in time.

What are the early symptoms of dementia

1. Difficulty finding a suitable word

"It is spinning on the tongue, but I can't remember!" - almost everyone has been in such situations, even a young and completely healthy person. But it is one thing if these cases are one-time or infrequent, and quite another if they begin to repeat from day to day. Deterioration in the ability to choose words is one of the earliest and most prominent signs of onset dementia.

2. Increased forgetfulness

It's okay to forget where your keys or your phone are from time to time. But if a person begins to lose things regularly, cannot remember what they ate for breakfast or what they talked about yesterday with a colleague, this indicates developing cognitive impairments.

3. Anxiety, suspiciousness

Naive optimism is a characteristic of youth. With age, we all become a little cynical, pessimistic and stop believing in pink ponies. This is fine. It’s bad if yesterday a cheerful person suddenly starts not trusting people and the world, looking for a catch in everything. “Good discount? Surely the goods are expired! "," Did the neighbor treat you to a pie? Probably wants to poison me!”,“They offered to take on a new project? Only because all normal people have abandoned him!"

Such anxiety and suspiciousness, especially if they manifested themselves quite sharply in the character, is also a bad symptom.

4. Constant mood swings, depression

Damage to brain cells can affect the production of important hormones, including those that regulate mood. Many people with dementia have depression in the very early stages of the disease.

5. Personality changes

It doesn't matter which way they go. Perhaps yesterday's cheerful extrovert suddenly became grumpy. Or, conversely, a recently shy person suddenly became overly sociable. Any change in character, temperament, communication is an alarming signal.

6. Disorders of orientation in time and space

Regularly can't remember what date or day of the week is today? Or suddenly found that they forgot the short way to the bus stop, do not figure out where the door to the desired office is, although you have been there more than once? Somewhere your brain is malfunctioning. It's worth finding out where. And isn't it dangerous.

7. Loss of interest in hobbies

Apathy, decreased interest in activities that you have been involved in for many years (be it sports, collecting, beading), attempts to avoid communication - even with close friends - are another symptom of creeping dementia.

8. Aimlessness

The man takes the bag and seems to go to the store, but returns without purchases. It happens that he wanders around the house or office back and forth with no apparent purpose. He asks the same questions over and over again, although he has already received answers to them. Such behavioral difficulties indicate a loss of the ability to plan and focus. Which is also a bad sign.

9. Loss of ability to follow the logic of the conversation or verbosity

Brain disturbances prevent a person from focusing on the topic of conversation. He constantly gets lost on extraneous things. For example, in a conversation about the benefits of apples, one may suddenly bump into memories that are practically unrelated to the main plot: “Oh, what delicious apples I ate in the village with my great-grandmother! She had a huge garden. And her grandfather built a house for her, everyone would have such husbands!"

Due to the lost ability to formulate thoughts clearly and concisely, a person has to indulge in lengthy reasoning. And in the process, he often forgets what, in fact, he wanted to say.

10. The tendency to constantly shift, hide, accumulate objects

Hide your glasses so that you don't "get lost", and then spend half a day looking for them painfully around the house. Refusing to throw away your old equipment or broken furniture - "what if it comes in handy." With progressive dementia, such incidents become more pronounced and more regular.

What to do if you notice early symptoms of dementia

The ideal option is to remember (preferably even write down) all the signs that disturb you and contact a therapist or neurologist. The doctor will listen to you, ask you about your lifestyle, look at your personal card, and possibly suggest some tests. For example, to pass urine and blood tests: for sugar levels, thyroid hormones. You may need to do an ECG or MRI of the brain.

The fact is that various factors affect the state of the brain: endocrine disorders, metabolic disorders, anemia, vitamin deficiency, circulatory disorders, side effects from taking medications. Before talking about the prospects for dementia, the physician must rule out these conditions.

If, nevertheless, your suspicions are confirmed, the specialist will tell you what to do. If necessary, prescribe drugs that can support the brain cells and protect them from damage.

In addition, you will need to adjust your lifestyle. By the way, these same Dementia measures are effective in preventing dementia.

1. Move more

Physical activity provides a good blood supply to the brain and helps it heal. Walk more, ride your bike and try to devote at least 150 minutes a week to training.

2. Communicate

Even through unwillingness. The brain needs social activity like air. It helps him stay young and healthy longer.

3. Train your brain

Read, solve puzzles and crosswords, learn Chinese, follow the news, try to learn something new every day.

4. Quit smoking

There is evidence from Smoking Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Dementia: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies with Investigation of Potential Effect Modifiers that nicotine may increase the risk of dementia and cerebrovascular disease. This is especially true for those who continue to smoke after the age of 45.

5. Get enough sleep

Get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night. Be sure to seek advice and help from a therapist if you have insomnia, snore, or suspect cases of apnea.

6. Monitor your diet

A diet high in vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, and olive oil is best for brain health. The Mediterranean diet is ideal.

7. Avoid vitamin deficiencies

Some studies show the Vitamin D and the Risk of Dementia: The Rotterdam Study that people with low blood levels of vitamin D are more likely to develop Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Also, experts from the American research organization Mayo Clinic recommend carefully monitoring the level of consumption of vitamins B and C.