Memory Loss In Alzheimer's Disease
Memory loss in early Alzheimer's can be difficult to detect at
times. Is it just forgetfulness, or is there a real problem
going on?
The things we've done in the last hours, days or even weeks are
placed in our short-term memory. In early stages of Alzheimer's,
the most recent memories go first, but it is easy for people to
manage to cover that up.
But as Alzheimer's disease becomes more severe, past memories
become affected as well. At this point, people around them will
be more aware of the possibility of dementia or Alzheimer's.
Having Alzheimer's disease is often equated with losing ones
memory. So much so that jokes are made about it. They are
sometimes funny, until you get old enough to wonder if maybe you
may be experiencing a touch of Alzheimer's.
If you have a loved one with Alzheimer's, the jokes are no
longer funny as you see the downhill progression of their memory
and ability to care for themselves.
This memory loss problem is very real and can be tested for.
Many times just a simple set of questions are asked. The
questions commonly asked in the doctors office have to do with
both how the short term and long term memory works.
Questions commonly asked included
* What day is it today * What month are we in * What year is it
* Where are you now * Who is the President * Count backwards
from 20-1 * I am going to tell you three things, you repeat it
back to me after five minutes, when I ask.
If you cannot answer all the questions, or have forgotten
something, it does not prove that you or your loved on has
Alzheimer's disease, but it does show that perhaps further
investigation is needed.
If you feel someone has Alzheimer's, be sure to have other tests
run such as brain imaging, CAT scan or MRI scan as these can
help rule out other possible causes and help confirm the
dementia or Alzheimer connection.
Many of the conditions being manifested in the early stages can
be reversed or halted. So it is important not to ignore the
memory problems, but get in to be thoroughly checked out.