Alzheimer's Disease

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Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms & Signs

In the early stages, the symptoms may be very subtle. Symptoms may often include:

• Repeating statements frequently
• Frequently misplacing items
• Trouble finding names for familiar objects
• Getting lost on familiar routes
• Personality changes
• Becoming passive and losing interest in things previously enjoyed

Some tasks that the person usually does well can become difficult at this stage. Examples of these are balancing a checkbook, playing complex games (such as bridge), and learning new and complex information or routines.

In a more advanced stage, the deficits are more obvious. Some of the symptoms are:

• A decrease in knowledge of recent events
• Forgetting events in life history, essentially losing awareness of who you are
• Problems choosing proper clothing
• Hallucinations, arguments, striking out, and violent behavior
• Delusions, depression, agitation

Some tasks that are likely to present difficulty for a person at this stage are: preparing meals, driving, dressing, travel outside of familiar routes, and managing finances.

In severe AD, a person can no longer survive without assistance. Most people in this stage no longer understand language, they no longer recognize family members, and they can no longer perform basic activities of daily living (such as eating, dressing, and bathing).