Alzheimer's symptoms
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
In the early stages the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease can be very subtle. However, it often begins with lapses in memory and difficulty in finding the right words for everyday objects.
Other symptoms may include:
Persistent and frequent memory difficulties, especially of recent events
Vagueness in everyday conversation
Apparent loss of enthusiasm for previously enjoyed activities
Taking longer to do routine tasks
Forgetting well-known people or places
Inability to process questions and instructions
Deterioration of social skills
Emotional unpredictability
Symptoms vary and the disease progresses at a different pace according to the individual and the areas of the brain affected. A person’s abilities may fluctuate from day to day, or even within the one day, becoming worse in times of stress, fatigue or ill-health.
Managing Behavioral Symptoms
Common behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s include sleeplessness, wandering, agitation, anxiety, and aggression. Scientists are learning why these symptoms occur and are studying new treatments — drug and nondrug — to manage them. Research has shown that treating behavioral symptoms can make people with Alzheimer’s more comfortable and makes things easier for caregivers
The first symptoms of Alzheimer’s vary from person to person. Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer’s disease. Decline in non-memory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. And some people may be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. As the disease progresses, people experience greater memory loss and other cognitive difficulties.
Alzheimer’s disease progresses in several stages: preclinical, mild (sometimes called early-stage), moderate, and severe (sometimes called late-stage).
Signs of Mild Alzheimer’s Disease
In mild Alzheimer’s disease, a person may seem to be healthy but has more and more trouble making sense of the world around him or her. The realization that something is wrong often comes gradually to the person and his or her family. Problems can include:
Memory loss
Poor judgment leading to bad decisions
Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
Repeating questions
Trouble handling money and paying bills
Wandering and getting lost
Losing things or misplacing them in odd places
Mood and personality changes
Increased anxiety and/or aggression
Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed at this stage.
Signs of Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
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In this stage, more intensive supervision and care become necessary, which can be difficult for many spouses and families. Symptoms may include:
Increased memory loss and confusion
Inability to learn new things
Difficulty with language and problems with reading, writing, and working with numbers
Difficulty organizing thoughts and thinking logically
Shortened attention span
Problems coping with new situations
Difficulty carrying out multistep tasks, such as getting dressed
Problems recognizing family and friends
Hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia
Impulsive behavior such as undressing at inappropriate times or places or using vulgar language
Inappropriate outbursts of anger
Restlessness, agitation, anxiety, tearfulness, wandering—especially in the late afternoon or evening
Repetitive statements or movement, occasional muscle twitches
Signs of Severe Alzheimer’s Disease
People with severe Alzheimer’s cannot communicate and are completely dependent on others for their care. Near the end, the person may be in bed most or all of the time as the body shuts down. Their symptoms often include:
Inability to communicate