{"id":19125,"date":"2025-09-30T10:00:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T14:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/?p=19125"},"modified":"2025-09-30T10:00:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T14:00:15","slug":"the-alzheimers-association-reveals-5-early-signs-and-symptoms-of-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/the-alzheimers-association-reveals-5-early-signs-and-symptoms-of-dementia-19125\/","title":{"rendered":"The Alzheimer’s Association reveals 5 early signs and symptoms of dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia often begin with small changes. A misplaced item, a forgotten word, or a shift in personality may not seem alarming on their own, but together they can point to something more serious. The Alzheimer’s Association<\/strong> <\/a>stresses that noticing these changes early can help people get the care and support they need.<\/p>\n

Dementia is an umbrella term for conditions that affect memory, reasoning, and daily life<\/strong>. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause, marked by progressive damage to brain cells. Let’s explore five early warning signs that the Association highlights and how they differ from normal age-related changes.<\/p>\n

5 Early warning signs of dementia<\/h2>\n

Not every slip of memory or change in behavior means dementia. There are certain symptoms, especially when they interfere with independence<\/strong>, that should not be ignored. These are five early signals of Alzheimer’s and related conditions.<\/p>\n

1. Changes in judgment<\/h3>\n

Poor decision-making is a sign that can appear early. This might look like unusual choices with money, such as giving away large sums, or neglecting personal hygiene. While anyone can make a careless mistake, a pattern of risky or uncharacteristic decisions<\/strong> could indicate cognitive decline<\/strong><\/a>. Families often notice this shift when loved ones stop managing bills, grooming, or household responsibilities the way they once did.<\/p>\n

2. New problems with words<\/h3>\n

One of the first signs is difficulty with language<\/strong>. Finding the right word can become a struggle, or they may misname familiar objects, like calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”. While everyone occasionally blanks on a word, consistent struggles with speaking or writing can point to more serious changes.<\/p>\n

3. Mood and personality shifts<\/h3>\n

Alzheimer’s and other dementias affect not only memory but also mood. Someone may become unusually anxious, suspicious, or easily upset<\/strong>. Depression<\/strong><\/a>, fearfulness, and agitation can show up in familiar settings or when routines change. While aging can bring some irritability, sudden or extreme changes in personality often reflect deeper neurological issues.<\/p>\n

4. Misplacing things often<\/h3>\n

Placing items in unusual spots is another red flag. Someone might put car keys in the refrigerator or store a wallet in a dresser drawer. What makes this symptom different from normal forgetfulness is the inability to retrace steps and find the item again<\/strong>. In later stages, this can lead to suspicions or even accusations of theft, as memory gaps grow more severe.<\/p>\n

5. Withdrawing from activities<\/h3>\n

As communication becomes harder, many people living with Alzheimer’s start to pull away from hobbies, social gatherings, or even work<\/strong>. They may stop following a favorite sports team or lose interest in activities they once loved because they can’t keep up with conversations. Withdrawal from social life is not just a personality change\u2014it can signal the frustration and confusion tied to dementia.<\/p>\n

Recognizing signs of dementia early<\/h2>\n

Spotting these signs doesn’t mean a diagnosis is certain, but it does mean it’s time to seek medical advice<\/strong>. The Alzheimer’s Association emphasizes that early detection allows people to access treatment options, participate in clinical research, and plan for the future. If you notice these changes in yourself or a loved one, don’t dismiss them as normal aging\u2014bring them to a doctor’s attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia often begin with small changes. A misplaced item, a forgotten word, or a … <\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":19127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","resize-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19125\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}