Signs & Symptoms
5 early signs of dementia
Dementia is a disorder characterized by hampered cognitive functioning, including memory loss, reduced concentration, inability to carry out day-to-day activities, confusion, and disorientation. Such cognitive impairment may be accompanied by behavioral changes like irritability, hallucinations, personality changes, and compromised social skills. The treatment for dementia may be extensive, but an early diagnosis can aid in symptom management. So, here are some of the early signs of dementia that one should recognize: Difficulty performing daily tasks People affected by dementia may find it difficult to perform basic day-to-day chores, such as cooking and driving. For example, they may forget the steps involved in preparing a dish even if they used to know the recipe. Asking the same questions repeatedly Dementia can hamper one’s communication skills and comprehension while also causing severe memory loss. Such changes may make one repeat their questions, forgetting the answers they may have already received. Mood and behavioral changes Dementia can make one experience sudden, intermittent mood swings coupled with behavioral changes, including fidgety behavior, pacing, restlessness, and irritability. Typically, these behavioral changes stem from the loss of neurons in the brain. The nature of these changes varies depending on the part of the brain affected. Difficulty understanding conversations Another early sign of dementia is the inability to comprehend conversations and consequent frustration and irritability.