Whether you are a family member, caregiver, or friend, knowing the early dementia signs is essential.
The best way to start early and effective intervention for someone you care about who is living with dementia is to recognize these signs and reach out for help. The earlier you seek out professional and medical opinions, the better the range of options you are likely to have available.
So, what dementia signs should you be looking out for?
Below, we take a look at the different types of dementia symptoms and tell you how to spot dementia early.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a broad term used to describe a decline in mental ability. Dementia is typically diagnosed in adults over the age of 65, although it can occur in younger adults as well.
Different Types of Dementia
Dementia can be divided into two broad categories: primary dementia, which is caused by damage to the brain itself, and secondary dementia, which is caused by other health conditions that affect the brain.
Alzheimer’s Disease
It is the most common type of dementia, It is classified as a physical disease that affects the brain.
Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the underlying cause. Alzheimer’s disease typically causes a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, including memory and language. Other types of dementia may cause more sudden changes, such as frontal lobe dementia which can cause personality changes. Symptoms of dementia can also vary in severity, from mild to severe.
Parkinson’s Disease Dementia
Parkinson’s disease dementia is one type of dementia that results from the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. This type of dementia typically affects older adults and can cause a decline in thinking, reasoning, and motor skills.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease dementia may include confusion, memory loss, hallucinations, and difficulty walking and talking.
Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy body dementia is a type of dementia that occurs when Lewy bodies, abnormal deposits of a protein, build up in the brain. Lewy body dementia can cause a range of symptoms, including:
· Memory loss
· Difficulty thinking
· Difficulty communicating
· impaired judgment
· Visual hallucinations
· Paranoid delusions
· Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms
·Balance and walking problems
There is no one test for Lewy body dementia, so doctors look for a combination of symptoms and use brain scans and other tests to rule out other causes. There is no cure for Lewy body dementia, but medications can help manage some of the symptoms.
If you or a loved one are experiencing any of the symptoms of dementia, it’s important to seek early dementia care right away. Dementia is a progressive disease, so the sooner a diagnosis is made, the sooner treatments can begin.
Early Warning Signs of Dementia
The most common early symptoms of dementia are forgetting recent events, trouble coming up with the right word, struggling to follow conversations, and losing interest in favorite activities.
As the disease progresses, people with dementia may also have trouble with basic self-care, such as bathing and dressing. They may become agitated or withdrawn and have difficulty controlling their emotions.
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Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
