Alzheimer's and Dementia Early Warning Signs

While some people equate Alzheimer's disease and dementia, Alzheimer's is actually a specific disease, and a common cause of dementia, while dementia is the umbrella term for when someone has a level of permanent impairment in cognitive function.

What does this mean? Symptoms of dementia could include personality changes, problems with spatial relations, loss or impairment of memory, or other factors. Dementia can be caused by many things, including stroke, brain injury, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases. It is estimated that 60 to 70% of dementia is caused by Alzheimer's.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia can be difficult when a patient isn't showing symptoms, but there are cognitive tests you can request either from a clinical professional like the ones we offer at Irvine Clinical Research or your primary care provider (PCP). Medicare recommends seniors over the age of 60 get a yearly memory screening, which is a simple written and spoken test your PCP or a clinician can administer during an office visit. Memory screenings can be a key tool to help diagnose early memory impairment so changes can be made to slow or prevent further decline.

If you have not had any serious medical conditions that could lead to cognitive decline, it is still important to manage lifestyle factors that can contribute. These factors include diet, exercise, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and good sleep habits. It is difficult to remain in perfect health as you age, but even taking basic steps to improve your sleep, diet, and cardiovascular health have been proven to help prevent cognitive decline. Read more about recent studies into health and memory decline HERE.

If you think you may be at risk or are experiencing some of the early warning signs of cognitive decline, you can contact Irvine Clinical Research HERE. We specialize in memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease treatments and studies, and our clinical professionals can help you determine if you are at risk.