Early Signs of Alzheimers

Like many other serious illnesses the early signs of Alzheimers, unless seen as a whole, can easily be explained away if considered individually. Even when seen from a holistic viewpoint they can also be symptoms of something other than Alzheimers Disease, perhaps a nutritional deficiency or a bladder infection.

Any number of medical conditions can cause the same physical signs, most of them treatable and many of them curable, which is why it is so important not to make the assumption that you have Alzheimers symptoms, but to consult a doctor if you have concerns.

Everyday forgetfulness
We all recognise memory loss as an early sign of Alzheimers Disease but it really relates to more than the occasional oversight. It could well include the forgetting of family names, regularly used words, the correct place to put things, how to get to familiar places, as well as appointments and leaving the oven on.

Sudden inability to complete well known tasks
Throughout our lives certain tasks become things we can complete almost as if on auto-pilot: ones that we do so often that we do almost without thinking. A clear early sign of Alzheimers is when the ‘auto-pilot’ turns off half way through the task leaving the person dazed and confused.

Difficulty with abstract thinking
A recognised indication of this symptom is the gradual inability to balance a cheque book because the written numbers appear as squiggles and are no longer recognisable.

Decreased judgement
As the pathways of communication close down within the brain, so does the ability to judge distances or even directions making decisions, like those while driving, more of a hit or miss judgements rather than ones on concrete knowledge and experience.

Mood Swings
As the early signs of Alzheimers Disease become more apparent to the person concerned, if not to those around them, the mood signs that are also a symptom can become more erratic and extreme.

Apathy
Losing interest in a life-long hobby is another symptom of Alzheimers, as is a lack of interest in socialising, reading or other everyday pleasures.

What causes the changes?
If you want to understand more about what causes these early signs of Alzheimers have a look at our article What is Alzheimers?


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