Saturday, April 15, 2017

Alzheimer’s Red Flag or False Alarm?

Memory or language problems alone don't equal dementia. "It has to be a memory loss that also interferes with function," one expert says. (GETTY IMAGES)

Routine memory lapses are often benign, while dementia shows up in more subtle ways.

When it comes to the possibility of Alzheimer's disease, there are certain signs nobody wants to recognize. On the other hand, older and not-so-old adults may overreact to routine mental slips that can happen to anyone. Reduced speed in completing writing tasks, for instance, or less ability to pay attention while multitasking are normal parts of aging. If you wonder about the difference between an occasional memory glitch or slight cognitive slowing and a potential dementia warning sign, Alzheimer's experts compare some indicators below.

Self-insight vs. outsider concern. "If people are concerned about their memory, oftentimes that's a sign that they're not experiencing significant memory loss," says Dr. Donovan Maust, an assistant professor of psychiatry with Michigan Medicine. "If you have the insight and awareness to be worried about your memory, that's actually kind of a good sign." People with the wherewithal to visit a specialist on their own might instead really need support for depression or reassurance about temporary difficulties in concentrating. Generally, he says, people who truly have dementia-related memory loss are more likely to be brought in by concerned loved ones who want them to be evaluated.

Misplacing and retracing. Routine information overload could make anyone momentarily forgetful, says Dr. Sharon Brangman a past president of the American Geriatrics Society. "So if you lose your glasses, it's most likely because you weren't thinking about them when you put them down; and you weren't in a routine where you put your glasses in the same place all the time," she says. If you're able to retrace your steps and find missing items, it's no big deal. However, if you can't retrace your steps because your short-term memory is too impaired to re-create your last minutes or hours, that's a problem. Or, she says, "If when you do find your glasses they're in a really strange place, then I would be more concerned."

Memory loss to the test. To make a dementia diagnosis, health providers need to see objective deficits or decline in thinking abilities, based on cognitive testing. "It's not just a subjective, 'I think I'm getting worse,'" Maust says. For definitive results, he says, "You test [patients'] memory and [see that] they are doing worse than other people their age." Knowing a person's baseline is important, he adds: "If you're concerned about your memory and you're going to see a doctor, take along a family member who knows you really well."

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