Early signs of Alzheimer's disease include:
Memory loss. Everyone has occasional memory lapses. However, increased memory loss is a very common early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. Some signs include forgetting recently or newly learned information, or forgetting important dates, appointments and conversations. Other common symptoms include misplacing possessions or not remembering how to navigate around familiar places.
Problems communicating. People with Alzheimer's have problems with joining or following conversations. Stopping in the middle of a conversation with no idea how to continue is often a function of not being able to find the right word. Other common problems include losing a train of thought easily, having difficulty organizing words logically, or repeating statements and asking questions over and over, without realizing that this is happening.
Daily life confusion and poor judgement. Alzheimer’s makes responding effectively to everyday circumstances, like leaving a tap running or facing an unexpected driving situation, increasingly challenging. Common symptoms also include poor judgement with money or paying less attention to grooming and cleanliness.
Changes in personality and behavior. Alzheimer’s affects the way people think, act and feel. Changes such as being withdrawn, frequent mood swings, anxiety, frustration and depression can all be early signs. A person may also become increasingly irritable and restless.
Withdrawal from work or social activities. Early stages of Alzheimer's may cause a person to begin withdrawing from social gatherings and events. Being social requires remembering how to interact and converse with others – things that become increasingly difficult as the disease progresses.
Losing things and an inability to retrace steps. A person with Alzheimer's disease may misplace belongings. He or she may lose things and be unable to retrace their steps to find them again. Over time they may accuse others of stealing due to this continued confusion.