‘Silent’ Dementia Symptoms: You Should Know Them If You’ve Turned 40!

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There are no exact statistics on the number of people with dementia in Russia: according to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 1.5 million Russians live with it, according to WHO – about 1.2 million.

Most often, dementia begins at age 65: no more than 10% of cases occur at an earlier age. Therefore, it is very difficult to notice the disease, since the deterioration of cognitive functions in the elderly is often taken for granted. Think about it, Grandma always forgets where she put her glasses and forgot how to count in her head! Old age is not a joy, it awaits us all, we just have to accept it.

Meanwhile, timely diagnosis of dementia is key to its successful treatment. The sooner you notice the disease, the more effective the treatment will be. If you’re over 40, your parents are almost certainly at risk, so you should carefully monitor their condition.

But how do you know when it’s time to go to the doctor? Neurologists Scott M. McGinnis and Seth Gale have named the “silent” symptoms of dementia praecox that loved ones of all seniors should be aware of. Here’s what you should pay attention to.

The first sign of degenerative brain changes is memory problems. Neurology professor David Kaplan notes that distraction and forgetfulness are episodic at first. Not all of the past disappears instantly: individual events are erased from memory.

Kaplan recommends that you never ignore such precedents if they happen to your loved ones. It is possible that we are talking about the development of dementia, and therefore it is worth going to the doctor and taking the necessary tests to find out whether your parents face serious problems.

These signs are also considered something common. You’ve probably heard of how older people deteriorate and become more irritable, right? It is not surprising that no one is in a hurry to run to a neurologist, although the elderly mother wakes up in an increasingly bad mood.

But neurologist Seth Gale warns that unexplained changes in mood, behavior or personality in people over 50 should be taken very seriously. It’s one thing if a retiree is angry about some issue. But if such jumps of emotions occur without objective reasons, you need to contact a specialist.

There is another nuance that should be paid attention to. You should be especially vigilant if your family history already has degenerative brain diseases, as dementia can be hereditary.