If you’re asking about the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, these are some commonly recognized changes to watch for. Having one of these signs does not mean someone has Alzheimer’s, but persistent or worsening changes are worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
7 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Memory loss that affects daily life
- Forgetting recently learned information, important dates, or repeating the same questions frequently.
- Difficulty planning or solving problems
- Trouble following a familiar recipe, managing bills, organizing tasks, or making decisions.
- Problems with familiar tasks
- Struggling with activities that were previously routine, such as driving a familiar route or using common devices.
- Confusion about time or place
- Losing track of dates, seasons, where they are, or how they got somewhere.
- Changes in vision and spatial awareness
- Difficulty judging distances, recognizing objects, reading, or navigating spaces.
- Language and communication difficulties
- Trouble finding the right words, following conversations, or naming familiar objects.
- Changes in mood, personality, or behavior
- Increased anxiety, withdrawal, irritability, suspicion, or loss of interest in activities.
When to seek help
It’s a good idea to seek medical advice if memory or thinking changes:
- Interfere with everyday activities
- Are steadily getting worse
- Are noticed by family or friends
- Appear along with confusion, personality changes, or safety concerns
Some causes of memory problems—such as medication effects, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, depression, sleep issues, or infections—can be treatable, so evaluation is useful.
