The Signs of Early Onset Dementia

It’s estimated in the United States that about 5.8 million people have Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementia, while 5-6% of those people show signs of early onset dementia. To be diagnosed with early onset dementia, the patient must exhibit symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s under the age of sixty-five. Those that are diagnosed with these conditions often show signs of early onset dementia in their forties or fifties.

If you are walking through an early onset dementia diagnosis, or you know someone who is, this article is going to help you understand the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s, the signs of early onset dementia, how it’s diagnosed, the causes, risk factors, and things you can do to prevent this disease. At Lake Forest Christian Counseling, we offer guidance and support for navigating this challenging journey.

Definitions

Assuming that they are the same is a common misconception. Dementia and Alzheimer’s, although they fall within the same category, are different conditions.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that’s severe enough to interfere with daily life, and Alzheimer’s disease is its most common cause. Alzheimer’s is a specific disease, while dementia is not categorized this way.

Dementia is a group of symptoms that describes a decline in memory, reasoning, or thinking skills. The main difference between the two is that dementia is caused by damage to brain cells that affects their ability to communicate which leads to a decline in memory, communication, behavior, and feelings.

Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, is a degenerative brain disease that can lead to dementia. It’s caused by complex brain changes following cell damage that leads to its symptoms.

The Signs of Early Onset Dementia

Now that we’ve explored the differences between the two, let’s unpack the signs of early onset dementia. As stated earlier, those diagnosed with it under the age of sixty-five are considered to have early onset dementia. This type most commonly affects those who are in their forties or fifties.

Below are lists of both early and later signs according to John Hopkins Medicine.

Early Symptoms

• Forgetting important things, particularly newly learned information, or important dates.
• Asking for the same information multiple times.
• Trouble solving basic issues and problems such as keeping track of bills or following a familiar cooking recipe.
• Losing track of the date or time of year.
• Not knowing where you are or how you got there.
• Vision problems such as trouble with depth perception.
• Not being able to find the right wording for something or having trouble joining in on a conversation.
• Frequently misplacing things and not being able to retrace your steps to find them.
• Increasingly poor judgment.
• Withdrawal from social or work situations.
• Apparent changes in mood and personality.

Later Symptoms

• Severe mood swings and behavior changes.
• Increasing confusion about time, place, or life events.
• Becoming increasingly suspicious of friends, family, or caregivers.
• Issues with speaking, swallowing, or walking.
• Severe memory loss.

Receiving a Diagnosis

As you begin experiencing the signs of early onset dementia, the rational next step would be to seek out a diagnosis. After sharing your symptoms with your primary care physician, they will likely recommend you to a neurologist. The neurologist will then examine your physical and mental health through a series of tests to determine what is causing the symptoms.

Upon arriving at the neurologist’s office, they may order:

• A complete workup of memory and mental tests
• A neurological exam
• Different blood tests
• Brain imaging scans/tests

It is possible that the symptoms you are experiencing are not linked to dementia specifically or may be related to some other health condition. It’s important to speak to your doctor thoroughly about the symptoms you are experiencing so they can determine the correct diagnosis and course of action.

The Causes of Early Onset Dementia

As discussed earlier, dementia is caused by damage to the nerve cells in the brain. While scientists, doctors, and researchers aren’t sure of the exact cause, they have been able to pinpoint a few causes of the damaging of the nerve cells within the brain that can lead to this condition.

Some of these causes of damage to the nerve cells may be due to:

• The accumulation of specific types of protein in the brain
• Trauma to the head at some point in your life
• Lack of blood flow to the brain
• Vitamin deficiencies
• A negative reaction to certain medications

Risk Factors

A risk factor is something that makes you much more susceptible to developing signs of early onset dementia. There are two sets of risk factors, ones that can’t be changed and ones that can be changed. Let’s look at both, below.

Unchangeable risk Factors

Family history: having a family history of dementia or early onset dementia will put you at greater risk for developing this disease. A test can determine whether or not you have certain genetic mutations that make you more susceptible to developing early onset dementia.

Age: the risk of developing early onset dementia increases as you get older, particularly after age sixty-five.

Down syndrome: it’s very common that by middle age, those who have down syndrome develop early onset dementia.

Changeable risk Factors

Alcohol use: Drinking large amounts of alcohol regularly has been shown to cause brain changes. Alcohol use disorder has been linked to an increased risk of dementia.

Diet and exercise: Lack of exercise and eating poorly over a prolonged period increases your risk.

Diabetes: Research shows that poorly controlled diabetes leads to greater risk.

Smoking: Smoking may increase your risk of developing early onset dementia and other blood vessel diseases.

Vitamin and nutritional deficiencies: It’s been shown that low levels of vitamin D, B-12, and folate can increase your risk of developing dementia.

Medications that worsen memory: Over-the-counter sleep aids such as Advil PM or Aleve PM have been proven to increase the risk of early onset dementia as well as certain medications used to treat urinary tract infections such as Ditropan XL.

Cardiovascular issues: High blood pressure, high cholesterol, a buildup of fats in the artery walls and obesity can all contribute to developing early onset dementia.

Early Onset Dementia Prevention

There’s no guarantee that dementia can be avoided, but there are a few things you can do to up your chances of preventing this disease.

Keep your mind active: Mental stimulation is a great way to prevent early onset dementia. Try incorporating puzzles, regular reading, and playing word and memory games into your daily routine.

Stay physically and socially active: Keeping your body healthy helps keep your mind sharp! And when we choose to be social and spend time with people we love, that helps our mental state. Try to aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day if possible and choose the right type of exercise for your body.

Get adequate sleep: Sleeping recharges your body and helps your brain reset for the next day. If you are having trouble sleeping or taking regular sleeping aids to get to sleep, it may be time to talk to your doctor about other alternatives.

Get the nutrition you need: Maintaining a healthy diet by eating foods rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids may lower your risk of developing early onset dementia.

Quit smoking: If you smoke, quitting could save your life in many ways. Not smoking improves your vascular health which helps keep the blood flow to your brain regulated properly.

Overall, the best way to prevent signs of early onset dementia is by taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing. Again, dementia can’t always be avoided, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help your chances.

Talk to a Counselor

If you have been given an early onset dementia diagnosis or you’re walking alongside a loved one who has, talking with a counselor can be helpful. An early onset dementia diagnosis is a scary thing to face, and you shouldn’t have to face it alone. We here at Seattle Christian Counseling want to come alongside you and support you in any way we can.

If you’re ready to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Christian Counselors at Lake Forest Christian Counseling or one of the other counselors in the online directory.