The body undergoes many changes over the years, and we can usually notice some adverse effects, like high blood pressure. Other changes are more subtle, and you may forget these four things. They can potentially be signs of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Names, Words, Stories, and Things Just Said
Alzheimer’s disease can first appear as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). While it’s not exactly rare, MCI can often be disregarded as just part of the aging process. The differences are subtle, but usually detectable as you forget these four things.
- Something you just said
- Words
- Stories
- Names
Those with Alzheimer’s tend to miss their own behavioral changes, and the first ones to notice are spouses or close family members. Doctors often ask these individuals whether they’ve noticed any changes in the patient before making a diagnosis.
MCI is sometimes overlooked because many of these things aren’t affecting the patients’ daily lives—at first. It’s easier to detect these four signs if the person is usually very organized but suddenly finds it difficult to remember appointments or events without help.
Not the End of the World
Fortunately, these symptoms aren’t always a sign of developing Alzheimer’s. You may be groggy from medication, lack of sleep, or even vitamin B12 deficiency. The latter can resemble MCI, but a test is enough to tell the difference, and injections usually solve the problem.
Discovering MCI at the onset is helpful because you can take steps to prevent it from worsening. Treatments today are powerful, and more so when Alzheimer’s is discovered very early.
