Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

While each case is unique, Alzheimer's disease symptoms may be experienced in varying levels depending on the individual and the stage of the disease. Understanding what your symptoms, your loved one, may develop can help you anticipate lifestyle changes that will help you better cope with the disease.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?

The damage to the brain that results in Alzheimer's begins from 10 to 20 years before symptoms of Alzheimer's disease appear.^[1] At first, tangles and plaques made of pieces of protein begin to appear in the brain. These tangles and plaques interfere with brain function and eventually result in death of brain cells. These changes in the brain lead to dementia that grows worse over time. People with Alzheimer's disease usually survive eight to ten years after symptoms appear but may live up to 25 years.^[4] Death usually results from pneumonia, malnutrition or general body wasting.

Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

The Alzheimer's Association created a list of warning signs for Alzheimer's disease.^[2] If you or a loved one experiences any of them, consider talking with your doctor.

0. Memory changes that disrupt daily life. In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, forgetting information is common. This might include forgetting important dates or events, asking for the same information repeatedly, relying on memory aides or family for things that were remembered easily before.

0. Difficulty planning or solving problems. Some people may have difficulty developing or following a plan or working with numbers. They may not be able to follow a recipe or keep track of bills.

0. Difficulty with familiar tasks. People may have problems driving to a familiar location or remembering rules of a favorite game.

0. Confusion with time or place. People with Alzheimer's disease may lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. Sometimes they forget where they are or how they got there.

0. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. Vision problems may be a part of Alzheimer's disease for some people. This might involve problems with reading, judging distance, or color and contrast. They may not understand spatial relationships. For example, they may walk by a mirror, see themselves and think there's another person in the room.

0. New problems with words in speaking or writing. People with Alzheimer's disease may have problems following or being a part of a conversation. They may stop talking in the middle of a conversation or they may repeat themselves. They may misuse words or have trouble remembering the right word.

0. Misplacing things and unable to retrace steps. Someone with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places such as leaving the house keys in the refrigerator. They may be unable to remember where they had been in order to find something they mislaid. They may accuse others of stealing when they can't find something.

0. Decreased or poor judgment. People with Alzheimer's disease may have changes in judgment or decision-making. They may make poor choices in dealing with money or pay less attention to their appearance.

0. Withdrawal from work or social activities. People with Alzheimer's disease may withdraw from social activities because of the changes they are experiencing. For example, they may stop meeting with family or old friends, end or reduce volunteer or community activities or switch to only listening rather than talking in conversations.

0. Changes in mood or personality. People with Alzheimer's disease may have changes in mood or personality. They may become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious.

Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

The first symptom of Alzheimer's disease, as mentioned in the warning signs above, is usually a problem with memory.^[1] These problems include such things as forgetting the location of keys or eyeglasses or forgetting common words.^[2] While problems with memory are common in older people, normal problems with forgetting are not as severe as those seen in people with Alzheimer's disease. Early in the disease, there may also be problems with mobility, thinking and smell.

As the disease gets worse, individuals may begin to have problems with getting lost, handling money and paying bills, repeating questions, and taking longer to perform common daily tasks such as getting dressed.^[1] In addition, these changes may be coupled with mood and personality changes. At this stage, persons with Alzheimer's disease may become withdrawn, especially in social situations.^[2]

As the disease progresses, memory loss and confusion lead to problems recognizing family members and friends.^[1] At this point, people with Alzheimer's disease have difficulty caring for themselves and may suffer from hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there), delusions (beliefs that are false) and paranoia (being fearful). Behavior may become impulsive.

In the final stage of the disease, persons with Alzheimer's disease lose the ability to speak and are completely dependent on others for their care. They lose the ability to walk, and reflexes such as swallowing are impaired.^[2]