{"id":366970,"date":"2025-11-09T13:52:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-09T13:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/366970\/"},"modified":"2025-11-09T13:52:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T13:52:10","slug":"subtle-signs-of-dementia-most-people-overlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/366970\/","title":{"rendered":"Subtle Signs Of Dementia Most People Overlook"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we think about dementia, we often think of a person experiencing memory loss and confusion. While it\u2019s true that these are certainly symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s (the most common form of dementia), missing some of the more subtle signs that aren\u2019t as well-known can lead to a later diagnosis and delay in care. <\/p>\n

With an estimated 6.7 million Americans over the age of 65<\/a> in the U.S. living with Alzheimer\u2019s, dementia is far from rare. So, what dementia-related signs should someone look out for in themselves and others? And when should they see their doctor for a dementia screening? Here\u2019s everything you need to know: <\/p>\n

The biggest early sign is spatial issues along with trouble with speech and directions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While we all forget a word now and then, if this becomes a pattern, it could signal a problem. <\/p>\n

\u201cDifficulty with language including word-finding difficulty, incorrect sentence construction or difficulty with self-expression can present well before the loss of memory,\u201d said Dr. Arif Dalvi<\/a>, a neurologist and physician chief of the Movement Disorders Program at Delray Medical Center.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to brush this off, but it\u2019s important to monitor if there\u2019s any frequency with this behavior. Additionally, you may notice a change in your sense of direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cVisual or spatial skills can also be affected early,\u201d Dalvi continued. \u201cA common way this presents is difficulty navigating a previously familiar route or needing GPS directions to a route that was previously known.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pay attention to other red flags as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Other less commonly recognized symptoms include difficulty completing familiar tasks, noise sensitivity and a change in taste and smell, according to Dr. Stanley Appel<\/a>, neurologist and director of the Ann Kimball & John W. Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics at Houston Methodist.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn abrupt change in personality or mood without underlying explanation should also raise a red flag,\u201d Dalvi added.<\/p>\n

And, more rarely, you might see some symptoms that resemble other neurological issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome types of dementia, such as Lewy body dementia, can cause hallucinations or delusions,\u201d Appel explained. \u201cIt\u2019s crucial to note that hallucinations can also result from other causes, and any unusual symptoms should be discussed with a health care provider.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bring up any concerning symptoms to your doctor ASAP.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sadly, there is no cure for dementia. But both experts emphasized that an early diagnosis can improve quality of life and stop the disease from progressing as quickly. <\/p>\n

\u201cTraditional treatment options, such as medication to manage symptoms, recommendations for lifestyle changes and referrals to support services like occupational and speech therapy are vital in maintaining cognitive function and overall well-being,\u201d Appel said. <\/p>\n

Plus, in recent years, there has been a significant breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe FDA has approved two new drugs, Aduhelm (aducanumab) and Leqembi (lecanemab), that target the buildup of amyloid beta plaques in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d Appel said. \u201cAlthough the approval of Aduhelm has been controversial, some studies have shown that it can slow cognitive decline in certain patients. On the other hand, clinical trials have shown that Leqembi can slow cognitive decline in certain patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to lessening the build-up of amyloid plaques, Appel added that some doctors are working on other innovative approaches to treatment. One is to suppress neuroinflammation with regulatory T-cells (Tregs), and other investigations are using advances in gene therapy to develop novel approaches for Alzheimer\u2019s disease. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese breakthroughs in medical science offer hope for individuals with dementia and their families,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

There is no \u201cofficial\u201d age to get a dementia screening, but it\u2019s always a good idea to reach out to your doctor if you\u2019re experiencing any symptoms. Dalvi emphasized that since the incidence of dementia rises with age, particularly after 65, that\u2019s a good time to have a simple dementia screening such as a mini cognitive assessment. Physicians can look for reversible causes of memory loss, like a vitamin B12 deficiency or hypothyroidism. <\/p>\n

\u201cScreening for hearing loss at this age is also important as it is estimated that 1 out of 9 dementias can be explained on the basis of age-related hearing loss,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

While there may not be a complete cure for dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s, there is a lot doctors can do once they reach a diagnosis. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere should be no stigma associated with screening for dementia,\u201d Appel said. \u201cAn early and accurate diagnosis allows a plan to be put in place for either treating or slowing the cause of dementia.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When we think about dementia, we often think of a person experiencing memory loss and confusion. While it\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":366971,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[49138,632,210,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-366970","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-alzheimer","9":"tag-dementia","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366970\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/366971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=366970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=366970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}