Memory decline may be earliest sign of dementia
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON — Memory problems that are often dismissed as a normal part of aging may not be so harmless after all.
Noticing you have had a decline beyond the occasional misplaced car keys or forgotten name could be the very earliest sign of Alzheimer’s, several research teams are reporting.
Doctors often regard people who complain that their memory is slipping as “the worried well,” but the new studies show they may well have reason to worry, said Maria Carrillo, a senior scientist at the Alzheimer’s Association.
One study found that self-reported memory changes preceded broader mental decline by about six years. Another tied these changes to evidence on brain scans that dementia is setting in.
“Maybe these people know something about themselves” that their doctors don’t, “and maybe we should pay attention to them,” said Dorene Rentz, a Massachusetts General Hospital psychologist. She helped run one of the studies, which were discussed Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Boston.
About 35 million people worldwide have dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type. It causes a slow decline in thinking and reasoning ability. Memory trouble that disrupts daily life is one symptom.