10 Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is very common. Scientists estimate that as many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease. Usually the disease begins after the age of 65, but a rare form of Alzheimer's affects younger people, sometimes as young as 40. Only about 5 to 10 percent of all the people with Alzheimer's disease develop symptoms before 65, however.The onset of Alzheimer's disease is subtle, and the disease progresses slowly over the years producing a decline in many of the areas of intellect. This decline is termed dementia. Typically, memory for recent events is the first area affected. This usually shows up as problems remembering appointments, new names and new routes in unfamiliar neighborhoods. Also, absorbing decreased amounts of information from reading a book, newspaper or from watching TV is typical with AD.

The human mind is extremely complicated and any disease affecting it may produce a wide variety of symptoms. Alzheimer's disease may start with a variety of signs and symptoms, but in most cases, the dominate symptom is a failing in recent memory and learning.

The following is a list of ten early warning signs associated with Alzheimer's disease:

Difficulties with memory and learning: Forgetting recently learned information is the most characteristic sign of AD. In AD, this is frequent and concerns more vital facts like missing an important meeting that could have serious results. Also, those suffering from AD frequently do not have the awareness that they have forgotten something important.

What's normal: Forgetting names, telephone numbers or appointments occasionally.

Misplacing things: People with AD often put things in places they would not normally belong, like a toothbrush in a desk drawer, or a key in the refrigerator.

What's normal: Misplacing your keys or occasionally forgetting why you came into a room or what you were going to say.