As AD begins to affect the cerebral cortex, memory loss continues and impairment of other cognitive abilities emerges. This stage is referred to as mild AD and is when the clinical diagnosis of the disease is usually made.
In the early stages of AD, symptoms can be confused with normal changes that occur with aging. Cognitive features of early AD include memory loss, mild anomic aphasia, and visuospatial dysfunction.
Signs that point to mild-stage disease include:
Mood and personality changes; increased anxiety
Confusion about the location of familiar places
Taking longer to accomplish normal, daily tasks
Trouble handling money and paying bills
Compromised judgment, often leading to bad decisions
Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative
In the moderate stage of AD, behavior problems, such as wandering and agitation, can emerge.
Signs that reflect moderate-stage disease include:
Shortened attention span
Repetitive statements or movement; occasional muscle twitches
Difficulty with language; problems with reading, writing, and working with numbers
Increasing memory loss and confusion
Problems recognizing friends and family members
Difficulty organizing thoughts and thinking logically
Inability to learn new things or to cope with new or unexpected situations
Restlessness, agitation, anxiety, tearfulness, and wandering, especially in the late afternoon or at night
Hallucinations, delusions, suspiciousness or paranoia, and irritability
Loss of impulse control (shown through behavior such as vulgar language or undressing at inappropriate times or places)
Perceptual-motor problems (such as trouble getting out of a chair or setting the table)
Learn more about the stages of Alzheimer's disease.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Jasvinder P. Chawla, Shaheen E. Lakhan. Fast Five Quiz: Alzheimer's Disease Signs and Symptoms - Medscape - Feb 09, 2023.
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