As we age, it is common to forget small routine facts. However, when the problem becomes recurrent and joins other symptoms, it is important to be aware of the early diagnosis of dementia.
According to neurologist Ingrid Faber, from Brasilia, usually, the first person to notice symptoms related to dementia is not the patient himself, but someone close.
“Whenever the elderly person goes to a neurological consultation or with some other specialist doctor, it is interesting that a companion who has contact with this patient go — often, he can bring valuable information”, highlights the neurologist.
However, there are some signs that can help identify the disease and serve as a warning to family members who live with the elderly. Check out:
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Forgetfulness
One of the symptoms that can raise the suspicion of dementia is forgetting recent events in an unusual way, such as forgetting that you went to a certain place or that you made an appointment.
Ingrid points out that the signal triggers an alert when the person previously remembered and, suddenly, did not do so.
Difficulty performing day-to-day tasks
More complex day-to-day tasks, with multiple steps, also become a challenge. An example is going to the market, buying a number of items, giving the money correctly, getting change and keeping the receipt.
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behavioral changes
Changes in behavior should also be closely monitored. “For example, a person who had a more reserved profile and starts making lots of jokes, jokes, often at inappropriate times. Or the opposite could also happen, with very communicative people becoming more apathetic”, says the neurologist.
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Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia are neurodegenerative diseases that mainly affect the elderly population. The conditions are progressive and, over time, the patient becomes more dependent on the care of others.
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It is common that, in the initial stage, the symptoms are confused with the natural aging process. However, family members and close people should be aware of the signs
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It is also important to seek help from doctors, as the earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chances of controlling the case and delaying the progression of the disease, as well as increasing the quality of life of patients.
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Parkinson’s causes the death of neurons that produce dopamine and play an important role in the locomotor system. Men are the most affected
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The patient’s family should be aware of the first signs of slowness, muscle stiffness and frequent tremors, which are more characteristic of this condition.
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Alzheimer’s, in turn, affects the female population more. It causes the degeneration and death of neurons, which results in progressive alteration of brain functions.
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The most recurrent consequences are the impairment of memory, behavior, thinking and learning capacity.
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Dementia is progressive and the initial symptoms are well known: memory loss and confusion are the most common. The condition affects up to 25% of people over 85 in Brazil
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Speech problems and difficulty making decisions are also among the signs. However, there are other subtle signs that may alert you to the development of some types of degenerative diseases.
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Vision problems: A study done in the UK by UK Biobank shows that people with age-related macular degeneration are 25% more likely to have dementia
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Hearing loss: may be linked to cellular changes in the brain. But vision and hearing loss can lead to social isolation, which has been known for years as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
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Mood swings: People with early dementia stop finding jokes funny or don’t understand situations they used to find amusing, and may have trouble understanding sarcasm
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Gum problems: Research shows that oral health is linked to mental health issues and may also be linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and alcoholism — all of which are also risk factors for dementia
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Social isolation: the symptom may increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. A lack of patience with friends and family and a preference for being alone could be signs of brain chemical problems or a lack of vitamins.
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Other signs that may indicate neurodegenerative diseases are: lack of interest in usual activities, difficulty performing day-to-day tasks, repeating conversations or tasks, disorientation in known places and difficulty memorizing
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Location difficulties
Some patients get lost in familiar places, or forget the route they take by car every day. Not being able to find your way around larger environments, such as malls and supermarkets, can also indicate dementia when it has never been a problem before.
speech disorders
Ingrid explains that the symptoms of speech in dementia do not usually appear early, but in some rarer situations, they may appear.
“The patient may have difficulty speaking more complete sentences and thus has a limited vocabulary of words. Not being able to say the name of some objects is also an example of the problem”, points out Ingrid.
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