As with so many serious illnesses, Alzheimer’s can be best treated if detected early. That is why it is important to be attentive to the early signs.
The doctor Daniel Amenbased in California and who runs several clinics throughout the United States, says that this disease “actually begins in the brain decades before symptoms appear.”
But the first (and most common) early warning sign, this doctor says, is that memory gets worse and worse.
He explains: “80% of people who say their memory is worse than it was ten years ago have a 80% chance that it continues to get worse,” says Amen in statements collected by the Daily Mail.
“As the disease progresses, symptoms become more severe and include greater confusion and behavioral changes,” the doctor continues.
The second early warning sign is “poor judgment and impulsivity.” Amen says this is because the frontal lobes (the largest lobes of the brain located directly behind the forehead, responsible for behavior and emotions) are “decreasing their activity” due to the disease, which is “kind of like the brain shutting down.”
Only about 1 in 50 people with Alzheimer’s disease find that their frontal lobes are affected early. When this happens, the condition is known as frontal variant Alzheimer’s disease.
The third disconcerting symptom Dr. Amen talks about involves developing a shorter attention span and becoming more easily distracted: “It’s not like ADHDwhich you’ve had all your life, but it seems to be accelerating.”
The fourth symptom referred to by Dr. Amen is having “low mood.” “For many people, the challenges of living with dementia can lead to feelings of deep sadness or hopelessness,” she says.
“In addition, diseases that cause dementia can damage parts of the brain involved in emotions and behaviorconcludes the doctor.
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