Dementia progresses at different rates for each person affected. The symptoms are similar for most people, including early signs.
The risk of developing dementia generally increases with age, as age plays a significant role in the development of this disease. In addition to the factor of age and genetic predisposition, living conditions and various risk factors can also significantly influence the occurrence of dementia and Alzheimer’s. There are various signs that both those affected and their relatives should pay attention to, which may indicate the presence of dementia. This also includes symptoms that are not initially necessarily associated with dementia, such as behavioral changes and aggressive reactions.
In Germany, over 1.8 million people are now affected by the previously incurable Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia – which involves the progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain. If you or a loved one experience sudden memory problems, frequent repetition of questions, and difficulty retaining information, it is advisable to monitor these signs closely and seek medical advice if symptoms worsen.
Recognizing dementia: General symptoms appear in many forms
How quickly or severely dementia progresses in a person affected varies from person to person – which is what often makes the disease so difficult and dramatic for the patients themselves, as well as their relatives and friends. Depending on what type of dementia it is – Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s dementia or Lewy body dementia – and how quickly the disease progresses, certain general signs and symptoms are often similar:
- Memory gaps, i.e. names and dates are no longer remembered.
- Difficulties with previously usual tasks at work or in the private environment – particularly noticeable in activities that would otherwise not cause any problems.
- Challenges in planning and solving problems; those affected appear distracted.
- Increasingly difficult to remember or reconstruct recent actions.
- Problems writing or speaking.
- Those affected can no longer think of the right words; this is particularly evident in the middle of the conversation.
- Items are misplaced and/or people forget where they were put.
- Place and time are becoming increasingly difficult to classify correctly, for example the day of the week is confused.
- Making decisions is becoming increasingly difficult or is being made without thinking.
- People with dementia increasingly withdraw from social contacts (relatives and friends) and activities.
- Those affected change their behavior and become aggressive.
Source: Alzheimer Research Initiative e. v.
Dementia and possible first signs of illness
Early symptoms of dementia also appear similarly in many sufferers – however, such signs do not necessarily mean dementia. If dementia is actually present, some of the early symptoms persist into an advanced stage.
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In any case, it makes sense to talk to your family doctor and, if necessary, a specialist (neurologist) in order to be able to classify the symptoms and a possible clinical picture.
Early symptoms of dementia can include:
- Memory gaps that are particularly evident in short-term memory.
- The first sign that people with emerging dementia notice in conversations is that they can no longer find the “appropriate” word.
- Abstract and logical thinking is more difficult, which is evident, for example, when dealing with numbers and arithmetic.
- Many tasks in daily life are no longer possible, such as orienting yourself and remembering where you put something.
- Objects are misplaced, the sense of place and time is disturbed.
- Those affected sometimes show abrupt emotional swings, from happy to suddenly sad and vice versa.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editorial team cannot answer individual questions about medical conditions.
This article was created using machine assistance and was carefully reviewed by editor Natalie Hull-Deichsel before publication.