Typical Symptoms of Dementia
There are several symptoms which are common to most types of dementia, there are also symptoms which are more common in specific types of dementia.
Most people who have dementia experience problems with their short term memory. They have difficulty in recalling recent events, such as what they ate for breakfast, who they saw yesterday or where they went last week. However, events in the very distant past are sometimes unaffected by the memory loss and can be recalled with clarity. These events are often associated with emotions such as feelings of great joy or sadness. Dementia can also affect being able to recall words for things, people’s names or place names.
Difficulty with communicating with other people is another common symptom. For anyone affected, there can be quite a noticeable decline in talking, reading and/or writing skills. As these skills continue to decline people can experience a lack of confidence with communicating which can lead to withdrawal from social situations.
Most people who have dementia experience periods of depression, aggression or anger. These changes can be at odds with the person’s personality and can be an especially difficult symptom for everyone to cope with.
Specific Symptoms Associated with Types of Dementia
There are specific symptoms associated with the different parts of the brain which have been damaged by the disease. The damage can result in problems with motor skills including stiffness of movements, hallucinations, lack of inhibition in behaviour or language, lack of judgment, development of compulsive tendencies or sleeping a lot more or less than usual. Some of these symptoms are associated with the rarer forms of dementia and can vary enormously, in severity, from individual to individual. Any changes in a person’s behaviour, emotions or physical condition need to be reported to the doctor and not assumed to be part of their dementia, other health related issues can develop along side dementia and need to be treated appropriately to ensure that the person with dementia is as well as they can be.
Further Information and Research
Research is ongoing, and suggestions about diet, lifestyle, and possible environmental links to dementia are often found in the newspapers and as part of television and radio programmes.
You may find the following Alzheimer's Society factsheets of interest:
