The first signs of Alzheimer's disease or just forgetfulness: where is the border
You confuse the names of the children? All the while forgetting where in the parking lot at the mall put the car and can not find it? Forget the word or the naming of the film, the name of the actor? This ordinary forgetfulness or warning signs of Alzheimer's, which urgently need to run to the doctor?
Where is the boundary between normal forgetfulness and the first alarming symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
Each of us at least once wondered how to change intelligence and memory in old age, whether to recognize the first signs of deterioration of the family may have and what you need to do is to delay their deterioration.
You forget where to put the keys, you can not remember why they came into the room, and the desired name suddenly falls out of your mind? Any person may forget something because of the large amount of information, stress, fatigue and exhaustion of the nervous system. In such a situation can be absent-mindedness and rare "blackouts" on the event and the names, titles. But after the holiday, holiday memory in a healthy person is recovering. If, however, after a rest, you do not notice improvements or symptoms progress - it is an occasion to see a doctor.
Most often, the disease manifests itself in older people over 60 but occurs in younger.
Is it possible to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease?
The risk of Alzheimer's disease is reduced with the right lifestyle. It is necessary to avoid fatigue, stress, do not forget about the rest, exercise, spend more time outdoors, to observe a balanced diet.
Many believe that with the retirement and reaching old age decreased attention and memory in older people - a natural process. In general, the way it is, especially if no measures to prevent them not to take. Therefore, very often, even noticing the first signs of memory impairment, motor skills and attention from grandparents and their relatives do not rush to seek the help of professionals, risking to miss the symptoms of such terrible diseases as Alzheimer's disease, eventually getting to the doctor already in the late stages development of the disease.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
So, what you need to pay attention, if you have elderly relatives, or perhaps you are already exchanged sixth decade:
1. Decrease of short-term memory. People with impaired short-term memory function more difficult to manage to remember some current issues. For example, turn off the water, and light, as well as to perform actions which are of predominantly automated nature: the usual ritual hand washing dishes, cleaning the bed, etc. Such a person does not remember, he did it recently or not. But can guess that he had forgotten something, for example, saw the light on in the hallway or finding the soap in the bathroom dry, because the ability to make long chains of logic at this point has not been lost.
2. Deterioration of concentration. It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the attention on the long term, especially if it is an intellectual activity. For example, focus on reading books, or instructions to any device. In order to capture the essence, it is necessary to re-read several times.
It is natural that with the advent of the first two points, and come next.
3. The difficulty of perception of new information and deterioration of learning skills. We have repeatedly seen how grandparents clumsily trying to master modern technology, remember "fashionable" word. Even the acquisition of new motor skills, such as performing physical therapy exercises, and it is difficult for. In the case of Alzheimer's disease, this process becomes more difficult and time-consuming, sometimes even impossible. These patients are very difficult to teach something new, even simpler, for example, the use of a mobile phone. This occurs due to decrease in memory and deterioration due to concentration.
4. The loss of previously acquired skills. What previously treated easily, now it becomes a difficult and painful process. Thus, the patient can painfully remember how to cook scrambled eggs for breakfast, or how to load laundry into the washing machine. It can confuse the sequence of actions, and some even skip.
5. Depletion of emotions and vocabulary. It is less rich and emotive. Complex concepts and expressions of the patient replaces the simple and long sentences replaces short. This reduces the capacity for expressive expression emotion, facial expression becomes poor, the face may resemble a mask. Also reduced the rate of speech, and single words did fall out of memory. In this case, the patient may try to describe a concept or object, whose name he had forgotten. For example, when it comes to blood pressure monitor: "This thing, which measures the pressure." Those. He remembers the appointment of the device, but can not remember the word.
6. A very important feature - a violation of motor and spatial skills Namely, reduced ability to navigate the terrain, perform some simple actions that require the participation of fine motor skills, slow action tempo. Patients can easily get lost even in familiar places, do not find their floor and an apartment, are starting to slowly dress and undress. The process of fastening buttons, zippers considerably lengthened. Often things are fastened properly or put on inside out. Partial loss of spatial perception, the patient is difficult to determine the distance to objects, height, depth. The gait becomes uncertain, slow and constrained movement.
What to do?
If you notice any of the above symptoms in yourself or in close - do not delay the visit to the doctor. This can be a neurologist, internist, psychiatrist or geriatrician - a specialist who deals with diseases related to old age. The patient will be asked to undergo cognitive tests, it is possible as magnetic resonance imaging. Only after that the doctor can make a definite diagnosis.