Every year more than 40,000 cases of Alzheimer’s, a neurodegenerative disease linked to aging that, over time, has become the most common form of dementia in the world. More than 90% of these cases correspond to people over 65 years of age and, according to data from the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), some 800,000 people are affected by this disorder.
Detecting this disease early can be one of the key factors in reducing its progress. Knowing the symptoms that it can cause in its early stages, when it is not yet fully developed, can prevent possible future problems.
This has been detailed by the neuroscientist and neuropsychiatrist Richard Restak, who explained in an interview for The Guardian what is the first warning sign of the arrival of this disease that affects memory. And it is that, although many people believe that forgetfulness with assiduity can be an indication of a neurodegenerative disorderexplains that “most of the time this happens by not paying attention.”
But what is really the first symptom that warns that you could suffer from Alzheimer’s?
The first sign of Alzheimer’s
Restak explains that although these recurrent forgetfulness can be normal depending on the person, when these they become repetitive on a day-to-day basis it can start to be a problem. This is the case of situations as simple as forgetting where the keys are, even if you always put them in the same place. “You open the refrigerator door and inside are the keys or the newspaper; that is the first sign of something serious”, justified the neurologist.
In Spain, the SEN estimates that more than 50% of cases that are still mild (prodromal forms) are undiagnosed. In addition, there are other symptoms that can alert a person to the onset of Alzheimer’s, such as difficulty performing tasks that require a little thought, getting lost on familiar routes, remembering the names of similar objects, losing things, or even experiencing personality changes.
In addition to these symptoms, there are risk factors linked to lifestyle that can promote the onset of Alzheimer’s. It’s what happens with obesity, lack of exercise and low educational levelsome factors that it is in our power to modify to prevent Alzheimer’s.