Early Signs of Dementia Checklist

Common early symptoms of early onset dementia may involve memory loss affecting daily life, challenges in problem-solving, difficulty with familiar tasks, confusion about time or place, trouble with visual images, new issues with speech or writing, misplacing items, decreased judgment, withdrawal from activities, and mood/personality changes.

Although some memory changes might be a part of the normal aging process, dementia is not considered a normal part of aging. It is caused by damage to brain cells and can affect people in various ways, depending on the area of the brain affected. Dementia leads to individuals tending to forget simple words, declining memory, and decreasing thinking abilities, significantly impairing a person’s daily functioning.

Diagnosing brain disorders related to dementia in the early stage typically involves a comprehensive assessment that includes a detailed medical history, neurologic and cognitive tests, blood tests, and brain imaging studies such as MRI or CT scans. These diagnostic tools help doctors rule out other conditions that may mimic dementia and determine the specific type, providing a basis for personalized treatment planning.