Purple February: discover the signs that precede Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's disease has memory loss as its main symptom. However, neurodegenerative processes can begin up to two decades earlier and with other symptoms. Find out below signs that may precede Alzheimer's.

These early signs are often linked to changes in behavior.

“From the age of 65 [de idade], the risk of developing the disease doubles every five years. It is necessary for family members to be aware of changes in the patient's behavior to increase the chances of diagnosis in the early stages”, says geriatrician Roni Chain Mukamal.

Furthermore, the doctor also highlights that the risk of developing the disease increases as the population ages.

Check below signs that may precede Alzheimer's

Excessive swearing

Swearing a lot, especially in inappropriate situations, such as in front of children, is a possible early sign of the disease.

Researchers at the University of California, in the United States, found that 18% of people with Alzheimer's used swear words when they were instructed to name words that began with certain letters of the alphabet.

None of the healthy patients mentioned these words.

Dressing awkwardly

People with Alzheimer's may have difficulty choosing how to dress appropriately, whether in relation to the combination of items or weather conditions.

Research carried out at the universities of Kent and York, in England, showed that people with Alzheimer's began to have great difficulty dressing properly on their own.

Giving money to strangers

Scientists from the University of Southern California, in the United States, and Bar-Ilan University, in Israel, point out that elderly people who are more inclined to give money to strangers had a worse cognitive state, suggesting a greater chance of developing Alzheimer's.

According to these researchers, having difficulty dealing with money It may be one of the early signs of Alzheimer's.

Driving badly

Those who begin to develop Alzheimer's also begin to have difficulty driving, as the condition begins to affect motor and reasoning skills.

The disease slows down reactions and makes parking one of the biggest challenges, leading to situations of great stress and agitation.

Research from the University of Washington, in the USA, studied the driving habits of 139 people for a year. About half had an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's, while the other did not have the disease.

Scientists noticed that people with Alzheimer's were more susceptible to making abrupt changes in direction, as well as driving more slowly.

Get lost in familiar places

A common sign present even at the beginning of the onset of the disease is getting lost easily or not being able to find your way home, even if you are in well-known places.

This sign is considered natural in the elderly, but should alert you to consult a neurologist.

Difficulty with vocabulary

Another common and early sign of the disease is having difficulty finding the right words in conversations or when naming objects, sometimes using the wrong word.

People affected in this way stop mid-speech, change words, or often say “that” instead of giving the specific name of something.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the USA, found that this difficulty in finding words increased significantly during just two years for people who developed Alzheimer's.

Lack of social filters

Patients with Alzheimer's have less of a filter when they speak.

As the disease develops, patients become more rude and use inappropriate words.

*Published by Pedro Jordão, from CNN in Sao Paulo