What are the 10 signs of incipient dementia (Alzheimer’s)?
The group of people with dementia is growing rapidly and is very vulnerable. Especially women, as 1 in 3 women become demented, compared to one in seven men. In addition, women are more likely to care for a loved one with dementia: 70% of all informal carers are women!
You can do several things yourself to reduce the risk of dementia or slow down dementia. In addition, it is important to recognise the first signs of dementia early on. Therefore, in this article, we would like to explain to you what to look out for and what you can do yourself against dementia.
What is dementia?
Dementia is the name for a combination of symptoms (a syndrome) in which the brain can no longer process information properly. Dementia is a collective name for more than 50 diseases! The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Also common are vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Lewy body dementia.
Causes of alzheimer’s disease
In Alzheimer’s disease, nerve cells in the brain break down. This is because certain proteins accumulate in the nerve cells. Certain fibres can also accumulate in the cells. These accumulations disrupt communication between them.
Alzheimer’s at a young age
Women can also get Alzheimer’s at a younger age. When someone develops dementia before the age of 65, we call it early-onset dementia. These people are often still working and sometimes still have children living at home. Diagnosis at this younger age can take a very long time.
Signs that may indicate incipient dementia
Dementia can strike quickly, but also very insidiously. These ten symptoms of incipient dementia will help you recognise incipient dementia. In yourself and in someone else.
Do you have one or more of these symptoms? Then don’t worry right away. These symptoms may be symptoms of early onset dementia, but can also indicate less serious conditions.
- Forgetfulness
One of the most common symptoms of early onset dementia is forgetting new information. This does not have to be big things, but, for example, when someone can no longer remember which day of the week it is and has to ask again and again. Also, when someone forgets important facts or events from their own life, it is sometimes a sign of dementia. Are you worried about your own or your partner’s forgetfulness? Then it is wise to see your GP or neurologist. They can find out whether it is ordinary forgetfulness or whether there may be more to it. - Everyday things are more difficult
Everyday activities, such as hobbies or managing finances, become increasingly difficult. Even things that need to be done in a certain order, such as making coffee and cooking dinner, pose problems. If you feel that ‘nothing works anymore’ and everyday actions suddenly become remarkably difficult, this may be a symptom of incipient dementia. - Changes in behaviour and character
People with dementia may suddenly behave differently; this is often one of the symptoms of this condition. As a result, you may experience unexpected mood swings and confused, suspicious, depressed, panic attacks or anxious behaviour. Even if that previously did not suit his or her character at all. A person may also sometimes do things uninhibitedly that he or she never did otherwise. This can be confusing and difficult for family members and friends, who feel as if they are losing someone. - Losing things
The purse in the fridge, the wallet in the oven and the dentures in the linen cupboard… A person with dementia may put things in the strangest places and not be able to find them again. Often, a person also does not remember why he or she put the wanted item in that unusual place. - Getting lost in time and place
It is normal to occasionally lose track of what day it is or where you were walking. We all stand at the top of stairs without really knowing why we went up. But in early dementia, this happens remarkably often. The sense of time diminishes and hours sometimes seem like minutes. Finding your way around also becomes more difficult when you have dementia. People with this condition sometimes forget where they are and how they got there, which can cause confusion and panic. - Language problems
A feature of dementia is that a person finds it increasingly difficult to follow conversations. For example, sometimes a person stops in the middle of a conversation because he or she no longer knows how to proceed. Also, people with dementia sometimes can no longer think of simple words, or forget names. For example, “Where’s that thing for my hair?”, when someone is looking for a comb. Handwriting is also no longer as clear as it used to be, and spelling can be a problem. - Withdrawing from social activities
Do you notice that you or someone close to you wants to visit less and less often and prefers to stay at home? This could also be a symptom indicating incipient dementia. Hobbies, conversations and social interactions become increasingly difficult for someone with dementia, because it simply no longer comes naturally. A person may prefer to withdraw and spend hours watching television. This may look like disinterest or laziness, but in fact it is fear of failure, frustration and shame. In the early stages, someone with dementia often still realises for themselves that they are changing. By withdrawing, a person thinks he or she can avoid that kind of uncomfortable situation. - Visual problems
Someone with dementia may have trouble reading, judging distances and distinguishing colour or contrast. This is even though the eyes actually still work well. However, the brain is the problem: it can no longer process the stimuli from the eyes properly. When dementia is more advanced, double or blurred vision may also occur. - Restlessness, both physical and mental
One of the symptoms of early dementia is restlessness. Both physically and mentally, a person just cannot seem to settle down. It is as if someone with dementia is constantly searching for something, needs to clean up or do something else. This manifests itself in restlessness and a lot of walking back and forth. This restless feeling often leads to sleep problems, which in turn worsens the aggravation. The restless feeling can often be reduced by medication after diagnosis. - Poor judgement
Impaired judgement can also be a sign of dementia. A person may, for example, misjudge offers and spend large sums of money without good reason. But it goes beyond that, and can sometimes cause life-threatening situations. Think, for example, of errors of judgement in traffic or severe hallucinations.
Do you recognise one or more dementia symptoms?
Do you recognise one or more symptoms and is this ‘new’ behaviour compared to a few years ago? If so, please make an appointment with your GP. He or she can reassure you or refer you to a female medical specialist for further diagnostics and treatment.
More research and drug trials are badly needed!
To achieve an alzheimer’s-free future, your participation in alzheimer’s research is badly needed. Unfortunately, an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s that slows or cures the disease does not yet exist. That is why it is important to participate in drug research so that an effective drug can finally be approved. Without women participating in a drug trial, there is no way we can improve the treatment of Alzheimer’s.
In the near future, it may be possible to halt or even reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease with a new drug. But for new drugs to be developed and approved, we need more information about how they work and how safe they are. And that’s where you can play a role. Have you been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and want to contribute to finding a good treatment for you and your fellow patients? Then sign up for an intake at FemTrials with no obligation, so that together we can see if you meet the research criteria. We will only get alzheimer’s out of the world if we closely work together on this!
What are the benefits of taking part in a Alzheimer’s drug trial?
- You may experience positive effects of a new Alzheimer’s medicine, which might positively your quality of life and your lifespan.
- You receive professional support from a team of doctors, neuropsychologists and nurses who monitor the course of your disease and to whom you can ask all your questions.
- You can become part of a female community with other Alzheimer’s patients, which offers you the opportunity to get access to relevant content, podcasts, webinars, video’s, articles and chats with fellow patients.
- You are of value to science as well as making an important contribution to a future without brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Are you interested in possibly participating in a study or clinical trial? If so, please contact us.
