If you want to describe dementia you can say that it represents a group of various symptoms which can indicate problems with the brain. People use the term dementia in order to describe the decrease in memory and cognitive ability.
Most of the time dementia happens in cases where the nerve cells cease their activity or in cases where the brain cells die due to damage. There are some factors that can cause dementia, including family history and age. Besides them there are also other symptoms that include: depression, diabetes, low blood pressure, high level of homocysteine, high level of lipoprotein, high levels of estrogen, excessive smoking etc.
Dementia can happen in many types including Alzheimer’s disease, mixed dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia etc. The symptoms vary depending on the type and symptoms of the first stage of dementia are very similar.
We present you 10 signs of dementia.
1. Memory Loss (subtle and temporary)
Memory loss may be the first sign and people have problems with temporary memory loss in cases of dementia. One example is that you will forget how old is your friend or you will not remember some places or routes.
You may also ask one question a few times.
The reason for this will happen as a result of damage to the brain cells that will cause inflammations and some biological changes which will have a negative influence over the brain cells.
One study that was published in 2012 claims that people that suffer from dementia can start losing their memory a few years earlier, when the disease started.
The problems with the memory will have a negative effect over the person’s life.
2. Difficulties in communication
Other thing that can show if a person has symptoms of dementia is the problems while communicating. This means that the person will not be able to explain certain stuff to other people.
Other factor is the difficulties while talking about ideas or thoughts. The person will have problems with expressing and explaining thing to other people. This can happen in written and verbal communication. The person will also experience problem with logic and depth in the conversation.
This can be connected with losing of the memory, which means that the person will not remember the person that she/he talked to or they even may forget certain words.
3. Confusion
In the first and initial stage the person will be confused and problems with concentration. Because the person will have problems with concentration and memory he/she will be confused. It can be related to place and time as well.
People that suffer from dementia can have problems with recognizing the past, present and even the future. They can also forget how they came to that place etc. They will have problems with concentration and they will do things more slowly than before. The stage of confusion can become delirium.
4. Losing and forgetting things
People who suffer from dementia will have problems with forgetting where they left their keys, phone etc. It can happen to anyone, but sometimes it can be more serious.
At the beginning of the disease the people who suffer will leave their things on very unusual places and they will not be able to find them and in some cases they will blame the others.
If you do not remember where you left your keys, it is not a big deal. After a while you will remember and that may be the age and not the disease.
5. Mood swing and agitation
People will get easily suspicious, fearful, anxious or depressed. All of them can be signs of dementia. According to one study made in 2012 in cases where people get depressed in their late years it may be sign of dementia.
The person may change their personality and become shy than usual, become easily upset etc. All of these are signs that the mood has changed. This cannot be easily recognized by the person, but by others.
6. Hard to Identify Humor
They will not be able to distinguish sarcasm or they will miss it. They will have problems with indirect language, including sarcasm or deceit. One study made in 2015 says that humor can be delicate probe of sensitive psychological impairment in people who have dementia.
7. Difficulties in judgment
People who suffer from dementia will have problems in judgments and making decisions. They will have a lack of logical capabilities. They will not be able to identify objects or will make money mistakes etc.
8. Constant tripping and falling
They will trip and fall down. This will be connected with spatial and visual perceptions and that will cause risk of falls. They will have problems with balance. One study from 2010 showed that falling and balance are very frequent problems when it comes to dementia and cognitive impairment.
If you know someone that has problems with tripping and falling you should talk with them, because they can be at risk.
9. No apathy and initiative
People who suffer from dementia will not have initiative or apathy and they may become not interested in activities and hobbies that they used to do. Also they can stop hanging out with friends or family.
People who suffer from dementia can also watch TV for a longer period of time with no interest. In cases of Alzheimer’s diseases an often problems is apathy.
10. Not taking care of hygiene
They will forget to brush their teeth, take a bath, comb their hair, use the toiler and change their clothes. Rapidly they will not take care of their complete hygiene and grooming and they will not remember the last time when they took a bath etc.
Those symptoms are easier to notice in people who usually take a lot of care for their hygiene.
Other signs and symptoms
• Problems in calculating, money counting, dealing with numbers.
• Slow thinking.
• It will be hard for them to find the right word to express themselves.
• Skip lines while reading.
• They will stop hanging out with friend and they will destroy their social life.
• They will lose their motor skills and senses of smell and touch.
• They will not be able to perform some activities.
• Have difficulties with understanding images.
– See more at: http://choosehealthylife.com/early-symptoms-of-dementia/#sthash.1gMvSz57.dpuf
