Aging Parents: Forgetfulness or Alzheimer’s?

11/3/2022

As a parent or loved one grows older, mild memory lapses are natural and common. People often become more forgetful as they age – and these episodes are sometimes endearing, but more often worrisome for family members.

It’s important to distinguish between occasional forgetfulness and memory problems that may signal a serious health condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Typical symptoms of mild forgetfulness include difficulty remembering familiar words or names, misplacing items, or taking longer to learn a new fact or skill, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Memory lapses can be caused by depression, lack of sleep, dehydration, a poor diet, an adverse reaction to certain medications, thyroid problems or minor head injuries. These forms of memory problems are treatable and generally temporary.

Many times when a loved one exhibits memory problems, family members naturally fear the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, memory loss is one of the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s, an incurable progressive brain disease and the most common cause of dementia among seniors. The Alzheimer’s Association has published a list of 10 warning signs that indicate the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease. These red flags include lapses that disrupt daily life such as becoming lost in familiar places; exhibiting unusual behavior and personality changes; becoming confused about details related to time periods, people and places; and forgetting to perform routine self-care activities such as eating or bathing.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. The causes of the disease are still unknown, but researchers have found that changes in the brain begin as early as 10 to 20 years before people exhibit symptoms. Most people begin to show signs of the disease after age 60. This is known as “late-onset” Alzheimer’s disease. A more rare form of Alzheimer’s disease is caused by three genes that are inherited from family members, causing individuals to develop Alzheimer’s disease as early as their 30s and 40s (known as “early-onset” Alzheimer’s disease).

The stage between normal age-related memory decline and the development of Alzheimer’s disease is known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI sometimes advances to Alzheimer’s disease and sometimes remains the same – or can even improve. According to the American College of Physicians, about 20 percent of people over age 70 have mild cognitive impairment.

Research is continually uncovering new clues about the causes of Alzheimer’s – as well as potential treatments and prevention. While there is no cure for the disease, there are certain drugs and treatments that can help with patients’ symptoms and quality of life. Recent industry research has focused on identification of certain proteins linked to memory loss, body chemistry changes that could predict the development of Alzheimer’s disease, and risk factors that appear to be shared between Alzheimer’s and other chronic conditions, from heart disease to obesity.

A recent Columbia University Medical Center study on diet, exercise and Alzheimer’s risk level – in 1,880 seniors with an average age of 77 – was the first to examine diet and exercise together as a tool for delaying or preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Seniors who engaged in regular, vigorous activity and ate primarily from the Mediterranean-style food groups (fish, fruits and vegetables, whole grains) had a 60 percent reduction in Alzheimer’s risk. The study was published in the August 12, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

If you or a loved one is concerned about memory problems, see your doctor. There are cognitive tests that can be administered to check memory and skills such as problem solving, counting and language. A doctor will also ask questions about general health, any medical problems, ability to carry out daily activities, question changes in behavior and personality, assess reflexes, eye movements, balance and sense of touch, to name a few. While there is not a specific test for Alzheimer’s disease, screening tests can be performed to either assess the patient’s potential risk or rule out that possibility. Other medical tests can include blood, urine or spinal fluid tests, and brain scans, such as a CT scan or an MRI. These tests may be repeated over time so that your doctor can track changes in memory.

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