Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

Approximately 5.8 million people in the United States age 65 and older live with Alzheimer's disease. With over 50 million people worldwide suffering from different forms of dementia, it is important to recognize the symptoms early in order to provide the best treatments and interventions.

Before Symptoms Appear

Alzheimer’s and related dementias begin before any noticeable symptoms develop. This is called the preclinical Alzheimer's disease stage and it can often persist for years without the individual knowing they have the disease.

Memory Difficulties

The disease progresses to the point that people will begin to have noticeable difficulties with memory and thinking that affect daily functioning. Because these changes are apparent to friends, family members, and doctors, Alzheimer’s is typically diagnosed in this stage.

Significant changes to memory and thinking include:

Memory loss relating to recent events. People may have difficulty retaining new information and repeatedly ask the same questions.

Getting lost. Individuals wander and get lost even when in familiar areas.

Misplacing items. It is very common for people to lose or misplace their belongings.

Personality changes. They may become more subdued or irritable. Depression and decreased motivation are also common. These changes are especially apparent in social situations.

Difficulty problem solving or executing complex tasks. Planning events becomes overwhelming. Individuals may experience lapses in judgment, such as making poor financial decisions, as their thinking skills become compromised.

Difficulty organizing thoughts. Expressing ideas or finding the right words to describe objects becomes increasingly difficult.

Severe Symptoms

People generally lose the ability to communicate at an advanced stage of the disease. Though they may still be able to say words or phrases, their speech is not coherent, and they cannot carry on a conversation in a way that makes sense.

At this stage, people become entirely dependent on others for their care and are usually in bed most or all of the time.

Though there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are various treatment options. Individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s also have the opportunity to participate in studies or clinical trials to help develop new treatments. Santos Research Center is currently conducting Paid clinical trials in Tampa. Call us at (813) 249-9100 or visit www.santosresearch.com for more information.