Dementia is a general term used to describe a group of disorders that affect cognitive functioning and behavioral abilities. Symptoms of the disorder affect the daily activities and life of an individual. The disorder alters language skills, memory, self-management, visual perception, problem-solving, and loss of concentration.
There are different types of dementia, depending on the cause. The common type is Alzheimer’s disease and mainly develops in older people. Other types include Lewy body dementia and Frontotemporal disorders. A combination of two or more types of dementia is known as mixed dementia. Dementia is caused by damage to the nerve cells that connect to the brain. The disorder affects people differently, depending on the affected area in the brain. Some dementia symptoms are reversible depending on the cause and the time of diagnosis. Risk factors of the disorder include age, diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors, and unhealthy lifestyle habits such as alcohol abuse. Early symptoms of dementia are:
1. Memory Loss
Memory loss is a common early symptom of dementia. The changes are usually subtle and affect short-term memory. For instance, an individual may remember events that happened years ago but are unable to recall events that took place in the last two hours. Additionally, people in the early stages of dementia may experience short-term memory changes accompanied by symptoms such as forgetting what they were supposed to do or struggling to remember a particular room. In extreme cases, individuals may experience significant memory loss. Thus, older people are advised to seek medical attention when they begin to experience memory problems for early diagnosis of the condition.
2. Poor Problem Solving Mechanisms
People with dementia gradually lose the ability to solve easy problems. For instance, they are unable to formulate shopping lists and complete simple house chores. Moreover, they face challenges when solving minor problems such as simple mathematics. As indicated, dementia is mainly caused by damage to a nerve cell connecting to the brain. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease affect the memory cells of the brain. As a result, it changes normal functions such inability to solve problems. The inability to solve problems is caused by several diseases and may not indicate dementia. However, experts indicate that it is essential that people with the symptom should seek medical attention for early diagnosis for effective treatment of the disorder.
3. Confusion
Many people at the early stages of the disorders experience multiple instances of confusion. The function of memory is to provide clear thinking and judgment. Conversely, when the memory is distorted, confusion arises since individuals can no longer recognize faces and the right words to use. For people with dementia, confusion may arise due to various reasons in different situations. For instance, patients may misplace their car keys or forget their plans for the next day.
4. Speech
People who have early dementia may struggle to express their thoughts. Once the memory is distorted, you may experience difficulties in finding the right words. In most cases, having a conversation with people with the condition may be difficult and long to conclude.
Dementia has different symptoms depending on the cause and the stage of the condition. Early diagnosis helps in managing several symptoms. Additionally, some symptoms of dementia can be fully reversed if early diagnosis is conducted.
