Alzheimer’s disease mostly affects people over 65, but it’s never too early to be aware of the warning signs of this common brain disorder.
And you may be able to detect them years before things go downhill.
“Alzheimer’s disease actually starts in the brain decades before you have any symptoms,” Dr. Daniel Amen, a board-certified psychiatrist and brain imaging researcher in California.
About 6.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, which slowly erodes memory, cognitive skills and the ability to perform simple tasks.
Amen is revealing four red flags that could signal your brain is in trouble—and some risk factors you should address right away.
Poor memory
Amen said the first warning sign is that your memory is worse than it was 10 years ago.
While occasional forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, people with dementia struggle to remember recent events, conversations or key details.
The hippocampus – a region of the brain responsible for forming new memories – is one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s.
Poor judgment and impulsivity
Damage to your frontal lobes, key areas for decision-making and reasoning, can lead to difficulty understanding risks, dealing with everyday problems and managing finances.
It’s “somewhat like yours [brain] it’s going offline,” Amen explained.
Short attention span
People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble concentrating or paying attention long enough to complete tasks that were once simple.
Amen said this happens when “the anxiety — not like the ADHD you’ve had all your life — seems to be accelerating.”
Low mood
Research has found that up to half of Alzheimer’s patients suffer depressive symptoms, which is much higher than the general population.
Patients often experience emotional changes such as irritability or severe mood swings and often have less control over their feelings because the disease is affecting the areas of the brain responsible for regulating emotions.
They may become confused or anxious about change, or about situations that take them out of their comfort zone.
Lifestyle risks
Amen also identified several behaviors that may increase the risk of dementia.
“If you have any of these risk factors, now is the time to get serious about brain health,” Amen said.
- Obesity: “As your weight increases, the size and function of your brain decreases,” Amen explained. “That’s why I’m cut — I don’t want to intentionally do anything that damages my brain.”
- Low energy: “Having low energy … often means lower blood flow to the brain,” Amen said.
- Erectile Dysfunction: “Because if you have blood flow problems anywhere, it means they’re everywhere,” Amen noted.
- Chronic insomnia or sleep apnea: Sleep helps clear toxic waste from the brain.
#warning #signs #early #Alzheimers #disease
Image Source : nypost.com