Early Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

The early stages of Alzheimer's may last for more than four years and may be mistaken for ordinary signs of aging. Short term memory begins to be affected. The individual may find it harder to recall the names of new acquaintances. Short term memory recall seems less accurate than it once was: keys, eyeglasses, and familiar items are displaced more often.

Long term memory is not affected yet, making it easy to believe lowered recall is simply a result of "getting old." The learning of new skills, and their retention, seems harder than it once was.

Subtle impairment of language abilities is another early Alzheimer's symptom. People may find it harder to "find the right word." Abstract thinking deteriorates as the early stages of Alzheimer's disease progress. Planning, mental math, and other cognitive functions become more difficult and challenging than in the past.

As early symptoms slowly worsen, family members may notice a change in personality or more frequent mood swings. Mood swings are caused by the frustration, anger, and fear caused by short term memory and cognitive deterioration. In some cases, these symptoms may worsen at nighttime, a phenomenon known as "sundowning." The individual may be aware that something is wrong, but often denies the problem. Many spouses misinterpret the sudden mood swings and hostile behavior as signs of a relationship problem.

Although subtle, the deterioration of short term memory recall and cognitive retention can be noticed in clinical testing and medical interviews at this stage of Alzheimer's. Early treatment can slow the progression of the disease.