Warning signs of Alzheimer’s: Don't take forgetfulness, confusion, personality changes casually

Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease: If you have a loved one who often struggles to recall recent conversations, forgets familiar routes or names of close relatives, don't take these episodes lightly. These may be early warning signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s primarily affects older adults. According to the Lancet journal, the latest data show that by 2050, the number of dementia cases will double in Europe and triple worldwide. If Alzheimer's disease is defined biologically instead of clinically, this estimate is three times higher.

While the exact causes of Alzheimer’s are unclear, it likely results from genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Key contributors include amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles in the brain, age, family history, genetic mutations like the APOE gene, chronic inflammation, vascular issues, and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain, causing memory loss and cognitive decline severe enough to interfere with daily life, says Dr Srinivas Botla, senior consultant neurosurgeon, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.

“It is the most common cause of dementia. The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood and the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease typically develop slowly and worsen over time,” he adds

Recognising the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease early can help you receive appropriate care and support, says Dr Botla. Here are common warning signs you should never ignore.

Challenges in planning or problem-solving: If your loved one is facing difficulty following a familiar recipe, managing finances, or concentrating on tasks that require thought, such as balancing a chequebook, you must intervene without wasting time.

Changes in mood or personality: You may notice significant changes in mood and personality. Watch out for becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious, especially in situations outside their comfort zone.

Confusion with time or place: Losing track of dates, seasons, or the passage of time, or forgetting familiar routes, must be addressed immediately.

Difficulty completing familiar tasks: Trouble driving to a familiar location, not remembering rules of a favourite game, or difficulty in managing a household task, is a common symptom of Alzheimer's.

Memory loss that disrupts daily life: Memory loss is one of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s, especially forgetting recently learned information. Forgetting important dates or events, asking for the same information repeatedly, or relying on memory aids more frequently, must be addressed.

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps: Putting things in unusual places, such as placing keys in the fridge, or losing the ability to retrace steps to find lost items, is a sign of the disease's progression.

Poor judgment, bad decisions: Making poor decisions, such as giving large sums of money to vendors or neglecting personal hygiene, are dangerous signs.

Problem with speaking or writing: If your loved faces difficulty following or joining a conversation, repeats themselves, or struggles with vocabulary, such as calling things by the wrong name, know that these are red flags that cannot be ignored any longer.

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships: Be careful if your loved one can't read, judge distances, or determine colour or contrast, which may cause problems with driving.

Withdrawal from work or social activities: If they avoid hobbies, social gatherings, or projects they previously enjoyed, or show a lack of interest in initiating conversations, you must take remedial action immediately.