Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. Forgetting things occasionally is a part of life. As people get older, they might experience more frequent instances of memory loss. Causes for memory problems can include aging, medical conditions, emotional issues, or dementia. The symptoms of dementia go beyond simply forgetting where an object was placed or when an appointment was scheduled. People with dementia might experience significant personality changes and become prone to aggressive behavior, paranoia or impulsiveness. Often, this is the hardest part of the disease for caregivers to deal with.
So how can aging adults tell if they’re experiencing the symptoms of dementia? And how do they know when it’s time to tell a doctor?
Many people worry about becoming forgetful
They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. But not all people with memory problems have Alzheimer’s. Other causes for memory problems can include aging, medical conditions, emotional issues, mild cognitive impairment, or another type of dementia.
Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. As people age, changes occur in all aspects of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, they don’t remember information as well as they did, or they lose things like their glasses. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not serious memory problems like Alzheimer’s disease.
Memory concerns often cause anxiety for older adults and families
They may — or may not — reflect substantial decreases in thinking abilities. Evaluation helps by providing a more objective measure of whether a person is cognitively impaired and to what extent. Even more importantly, evaluation can uncover treatable causes of decreased brain function, such as medication side effects, thyroid problems, and a variety of other common issues in older adults. More than 50 conditions can cause or mimic the symptoms of dementia, and a small percentage of dementia is reversible. Medical conditions that may cause memory problems include some thyroid, kidney, or liver disorders, drinking too much alcohol, head injury, such as a concussion from a fall or accident, medication side effects, not eating enough healthy foods, or too few vitamins and minerals in a person’s body. Getting the correct diagnosis is essential to know your options because symptoms subside when the underlying problem is treated. A doctor should and would treat severe medical conditions like these as soon as possible.
Evaluation is important
But unfortunately, people are often reluctant to have memory concerns evaluated because they are worried that it could be Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. They also may believe that “nothing can be done.” It can help to tell people that we can often find ways to improve a person’s brain function by identifying and treating an underlying health problem or encouraging activities that promote brain health.
For physicians and families intent on pinning down a diagnosis, one major complicating factor is the existence of many kinds of dementia. We have noted that more than 50 conditions can mimic or cause dementia.
Stress, anxiety, and depression causing forgetfulness
Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression, can make a person more forgetful and can be mistaken for dementia. For instance, someone who has recently retired or is coping with the death of a spouse, relative, or friend may feel sad, lonely, worried, or bored. Dealing with these life changes leaves some people confused or forgetful.
The confusion and forgetfulness caused by emotions usually are temporary and go away when the feelings fade. Supportive friends and family can ease emotional problems, but if these feelings last for more than two weeks, getting help from a doctor or counselor is essential. Treatment may include counseling, medication, or both. Being active and learning new skills can also help a person feel better and improve their memory.
In pseudodementia, the depressed mood begins before there is any mental decline. Typically, the person complains about memory loss or lack of concentration, looks sad or worried, and speaks in a flat, expressionless tone. People sometimes manifest dementia-like symptoms—forgetfulness, disorientation, inattentiveness, and slowed responses—when depressed. This so-called pseudodementia can masquerade as the depression that often accompanies Alzheimer’s disease, but there are subtle differences.
In Alzheimer’s-related depression, the mental decline comes first, and the person usually tries to conceal memory problems rather than call attention to them.
Alzheimer’s disease is by far the most common intractable condition. But other causes of irreversible dementia include blood vessel disease vascular dementia), other degenerative disorders (frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease), slow-growing brain tumors, or infections of the central nervous system (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, AIDS dementia, neurosyphilis).
The hallmark symptom of Alzheimer’s is difficulty recalling new information. As Alzheimer’s progresses, memory loss may be severe enough to disrupt daily life (for example, the person may get lost in a previously familiar neighborhood). The individual may also experience a decline in cognitive ability (finding it hard to make decisions, solve problems, or make sound judgments). An individual with Alzheimer’s may undergo significant changes in mood and personality (such as becoming more irritable, hostile, or apathetic). Alzheimer’s is severely debilitating, and death usually occurs within three to nine years of diagnosis.
The leading theory is that the damage to the brain results from inflammation and other biological changes that cause synaptic loss and malfunction, disrupting communication between brain cells. Eventually, the brain cells die, causing tissue loss. In imaging scans, brain shrinkage is usually first noticeable in the hippocampus, which plays a central role in memory function.
Forgetfulness can also come with age
In some types of dementia, treatment will improve mental functioning, and in a small percentage, the dementia is entirely reversible if treatment begins before permanent brain damage occurs. That’s why it is essential to report to a doctor any signs of dementia as early as possible.
Forgetting things occasionally is a part of life. It’s why people may have reminders on their smartphones or sticky notes on their refrigerators. As people get older, they might experience more frequent instances of memory loss, but this is often a normal part of aging.
Typical age-related symptoms can be frustrating, but they are not very serious and certainly aren’t any cause for alarm. Forgetfulness comes with age.
Normal age-related forgetfulness or memory loss linked to dementia?
Harvard Medical School said that transience and absentmindedness are standard parts of the aging process. Transience is when the brain forgets some memories over time. According to the school, this could be good because it means the brain is removing unused memories to make room for new ones. Absentmindedness is similar in that it relates to your brain’s focus. For instance, forgetting an appointment might happen simply because you weren’t preoccupied with the thought of it.
According to the National Institute on Aging, many other health conditions could contribute to memory loss. For example, people with depression are sometimes mistaken for having the symptoms of dementia. One reason for this may be that a person dealing with depression might be highly preoccupied with the cause of their sadness and anxiety, the institute further stated. Constantly worrying about or obsessing over a recent tragedy can lead to forgetfulness of other topics.
Potential signs of dementia:
Unlike normal age-related forgetfulness, memory loss linked to dementia is progressive, according to Dr. William W. Pendlebury, a professor at the University of Vermont. These issues get steadily worse, and the patient eventually has to move to assisted living facilities because he can no longer live independently.
The symptoms of dementia go beyond merely forgetting where an object was placed or when an appointment was scheduled. Pendlebury further stated that symptoms include forgetting the names of friends and loved ones and an inability to remember some words. When an older adult shows these signs of extreme forgetfulness, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit to the doctor.
Personality changes
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, people with dementia might experience significant personality changes. For example, a senior in the middle stages of dementia could suddenly be more prone to aggressive behavior, paranoia or impulsiveness. Often, this is the hardest part of the disease for caregivers to deal with. The association said that it is normal for senior caregivers to feel stressed out by these symptoms. As such, it could be wise to consider using respite care services if it becomes overwhelming.
Disorientation. Another common symptom of dementia is the tendency to become disoriented in new environments. The University of Illinois said this disorientation extends to place and time. If an older adult with dementia moves to a location, the unfamiliar stimuli may induce a feeling of insecurity. When disoriented, seniors with dementia might appear lost to onlookers and become easily aggravated with their caregivers.
Lastly…
Age-related memory loss and dementia are very different conditions, though they may share some overlap in symptoms. However, normal forgetfulness is often caused by a lack of focus and never progresses into serious territory. Dementia, on the other hand, will get worse over time. If you’re uncertain about your symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor.
