Early Alzheimer's Symptoms

What are the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

Did you know...

Of people with mild cognitive impairment, about 15% will progress to dementia each year; 90% of this will be due to Alzheimer’s disease4

Early Alzheimer's Symptoms

Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

Only a doctor can diagnose the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. However some of the differences between the signs of Alzheimer’s disease and typical age-related changes are shown below:

Signs of Alzheimer's disease Typical age-related changes
Difficulty remembering recent events Some difficulty remembering events from the past
Poor judgment and decision making Making a bad decision once in a while
Inability to manage a budget Missing a monthly payment
Losing track of the date or the season Forgetting which day it is and remembering later
Difficulty having a conversation
Repeating the same stories over and over again 		Sometimes forgetting which word to use
Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them Losing things from time to time
Changes in mood and personality, inappropriate social behavior Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted
Withdrawal from work or social activities Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations
New problems with spoken and written words Sometimes struggling to find the right words
Trouble understanding visual images Struggling with vision due to age - related eye impairment
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure Occasionally needing help with technical settings

If memory loss gets worse or has a significant effect on daily life, see a doctor

  • Forgetfulness can happen at any age, it’s not always Alzheimer’s disease
  • Memory loss can be caused by many things, Alzheimer’s disease is one of these
  • There are ‘brain-protection’ techniques, a healthy lifestyle tops the list
  • Only a doctor can diagnose early Alzheimer’s disease symptoms
  • There are risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease

Am I at Risk of developing Early Alzheimer's disease?