A dementia expert is revealing the early telling signs of Alzheimer's disease--symptoms that could manifest decades before an actual diagnosis.
Dr. Daniel Amen, a physician, brain health expert, and founder of Amen Clinics, says that the earliest signs of the debilitating disease can show up in the brain "decades before you have any symptoms."
1. Declining Memory
According to the California-based doctor, the first early sign would be an increasingly worsening memory.
"Eighty percent of people who say their memory is worse than it was 10 years ago have an 80% chance it will continue to get worse," he explained in a TikTok video he shared with his 3 million followers.
The National Institute of Aging describes Alzheimer's disease as a brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills.
2. Poor Judgement
The second telling sign of the brain condition is "poor judgment and impulsivity."
Dr. Amen explains that this happens because there is a decrease in activity in the frontal lobe--the largest lobe of the brain that is responsible for behavior and emotions.
The frontal lobe also handles reasoning, decision-making, learning, and recalling information, the Cleveland Clinic noted.
"It's sort of like your brain going offline," the doctor described, per Daily Mail.
3. Shorter Attention Span
This symptom is characterized by an increased tendency to become easily distracted. However, Dr. Amen warned not to confuse this with ADHD.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention.
"Alzheimer's disease...tends to start in [the] hippocampus where new memory and new learning are stored...Certainly by the middle stages [of the disease], focus is definitely going to be impacted," Ruth Drew, director of client and information services at the Alzheimer's Association, told Daily Mail.
4. Low Mood
Depression is another sign to watch out for.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, depression is very common among people with Alzheimer's. In fact, about 40% of patients suffer from "significant depression."
Moreover, the organization warns the effects of cognitive impairment suffered by patients make it difficult for them to articulate their feelings, including sadness, hopelessness, and depression.
In another video, Dr. Amen shared that isolation is a "significant contributor" to Alzheimer's disease.
According to data from the Alzheimer's Association, about 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. This is expected to increase to 13 million by 2050.
Dr. Daniel Amen is a renowned psychiatrist with over 3 million followers and 28.1 million Likes on TikTok. He is known for using brain imaging to treat mental health, and his groundbreaking work has transformed approaches to brain health and wellness.
Dr. Amen is part of the health documentary "Biohack Yourself," now streaming on Amazon Prime.
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