Believe it or not, Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The common misconception about this disease is that only old people can develop this, when it’s actually possible for the younger generation too. Most people develop this disease when they reach 70 years. An early onset (40-50 years old) of this disease can be brought by many factors like diet, accidents, and unhealthy lifestyle.

There are early signs that will tell us we’re becoming a candidate for Alzheimer’s disease! These early signs do not involve memory loss – the common symptom that most of us know of.

Vision

Alzheimer’s can affect our visual processing

Most people who come to a certain age will experience degradation of eyesight. For people who already have a blurry vision at a younger age, go to a doctor and have it checked. If the results say that the eyes are normal and don’t have some kind of condition, then it might be because of our brain. Losing good eyesight without any eye problems can be linked to a visual processing problem. The part of the brain that is responsible for this is slowly deteriorating, making it a possible sign of Alzheimer’s and Dementia-related diseases.

 Depression

Just like Alzheimer’s, depression is a mental illness that is somehow age-specific. If a person never experienced any clinical depression in his/her earlier life, only to have it during 50’s, then it can be a sign of early Alzheimer’s. Not all people who have depression will have Alzheimer’s, but studies show that it’s three times more likely. This is for the reason that a depressed brain can secrete hormones that will lead to the development of this disease. It’s better to schedule an appointment with professionals to help assess and treat depression.

Apathy

People with early sign of Alzheimer’s will stop doing their regular grooming habits like cutting their hair

A person with apathy can exhibit many lifestyle changes. They have the tendencies to stop exercising good hygiene, withdraw from social activities, and abandon their hobbies. Apathy can be brought by the changes in brain structure, that’s why they also change their behaviors. Family members and close friends should be able to detect these changes since its deviant from the person’s behavior.

Unusual Consumption of Food

People with early onset of Alzheimer’s disease will tend to have drastic weight loss because of metabolic change. The metabolism will change because the structure of the brain changes. They also have a tendency to get hungry very fast but still won’t be able to gain weight. It is also reported that people with this early sign will eat unusual and inedible things like paper.

They won’t be able to Recognize Sarcasm

There are people who can’t immediately process sarcasm, they have to be explicitly told that it was a sarcastic remark. It is normal to miss some sarcastic comments but not having to recognize it frequently can be a sign of Alzheimer’s. In a recent study conducted by Katherine Rankin of the University of California, people with Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal diseases are more likely not to recognize sarcasm. People with Alzheimer’s have damage in their hippocampus, the part of the brain where a short memory is stored, that is why they are forgetful. This is also the part of the brain that is responsible for sorting out sarcastic comments.

Schedule an MRI appointment to make sure the condition of your brain

Falling and Tripping

Yes, you heard it right, falling and tripping can be linked to an early sign of Alzheimer’s. The brain is the computer of our bodies, all movements and processes are managed by the brain. Since Alzheimer’s is a disease that attacks the brain, a lot of basic functions will become affected. A brain scan of 125 adults who frequently fell or trip has higher risks of developing the disease sooner. It’s best to consult a doctor if you have already fallen or tripped for an unusual amount of times.

Bottomline

Just because you will experience some of these things it doesn’t mean that you are already a candidate for Alzheimer’s. Some people can still experience these and will not develop such diseases. It’s always best to consult a physician and professionals when some of these symptoms arise in a very deviant frequency and onset.