According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 50 million people worldwide suffer from some form of dementia, the most important of which is Alzheimer’s disease. Current projections suggest that this number will jump to 78 million in 2030 and reach 139 million in 2050, as the population ages. Therefore, certain signs can help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia; Check out some scientifically proven ones.
Early stage signs of Alzheimer’s disease
difficulty speaking
publicity celebrity
Speech is one of the simplest forms of communication. Difficulty pronouncing words can be a warning sign. A study by the Rotman Research Institute showed that some areas of the brain responsible for speech can be affected first and show signs before any other symptoms of dementia. “Loss of the ability to communicate is devastating and this discovery could lead to the development of treatments or interventions aimed at preserving this ability and slowing the progression of the disease,” said Claude Allen, a scientist at the university.
Mood and personality change
Recent studies suggest that before memory problems, sudden changes in mood and personality without an apparent cause can be signs of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. “Currently, we mainly look for memory and other cognitive problems to detect dementia, but personality changes can occur many years earlier than cognitive problems,” said researcher James Galvin.
Read also!
apathy depression
Even in symptoms beyond memory loss, this also correlates with behavior. Being unwell and unwilling to perform tasks that were previously considered enjoyable can be a warning sign. “Non-cognitive symptoms become very stressful for caregivers. Seeing personal changes in important relationships that may have been previously loving can be very difficult,” said James M. Noble of Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
change the way you walk
It may sound simple, but walking in an unusual way can be a sign of dementia, according to research from Newcastle University in the UK. . “The way we walk may reflect changes in thinking and memory that highlight problems in our brain, such as dementia,” researcher Rhona McCardle explains.
Fail simple memory tests
One sign of dementia can be seen with memory tests. Getting a score too low in levels considered easy can be worrisome. This was stated in research conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. This can be useful in deciding who should enroll in clinical trials to prevent cognitive decline. It could also help narrow the range of those who already have signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain with a simple test rather than costly, invasive tests or spinal taps, said Elaine Gruber, one of the study’s authors.
Have you seen the new videos on Youtube digital outlook? Subscribe in the channel!
