Alzheimer's Symptoms & Stages
On this page, you will find the following:
Symptoms & Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
Some common early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include confusion, disturbances in short-term memory, problems with attention and spatial orientation, changes in personality, language difficulties and unexplained mood swings. Normally, these symptoms are very mild, and presence of the disease may not be apparent to the person experiencing the symptoms, loved ones or even health professionals. The three stages listed below represent the general progression of the disease. Although these symptoms will likely vary in severity and chronology, overlap and fluctuate, the overall progress of the disease is fairly predictable. On average, people live for 8 to 10 years after diagnosis, but this terminal disease can last for as long as 20 years.
Alzheimer’s generally leads to impairment of cognitive and memory function, communication problems, personality changes, erratic behavior, dependence and loss of control over bodily functions. Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t affect every person the same way, but symptoms normally progress in these stages.
Stage 1 (Mild): This stage can last from 2 to 4 years. Early in the illness, those with Alzheimer’s tend to be less energetic and spontaneous. They exhibit minor memory loss and mood swings, and are slow to learn and react. They may become withdrawn, avoid people and new places and prefer the familiar. Individuals become confused, have difficulty organizing and planning, get lost easily and exercise poor judgment. They may have difficulty performing routine tasks, and have trouble communicating and understanding written material. If the person is employed, memory loss may begin to affect job performance. They can become angry and frustrated.
Some specific examples of behaviors that people exhibit in this mild stage include:
- Getting lost
- Difficulty managing money and paying bills
- Repetitive questions and conversations
- Taking longer than usual to finish routine daily tasks
- Poor judgment
- Losing things or misplacing them in odd places
- Noticeable changes in personality or mood
Stage 2 (Moderate): This is generally the longest stage and can last 2 to 10 years. In this stage, the person with Alzheimer’s is clearly becoming disabled. Individuals can still perform simple tasks independently, but may need assistance with more complicated activities. They forget recent events and their personal history, and become more disoriented and disconnected from reality. Memories of the distant past may be confused with the present, and affect the person’s ability to comprehend the current situation, date and time. They may have trouble recognizing familiar people. Speech problems arise and understanding, reading and writing are more difficult, and the individual may invent words. They may no longer be safe alone and can wander. As Alzheimer’s patients become aware of this loss of control, they may become depressed, irritable and restless or apathetic and withdrawn. They may experience sleep disturbances and have more trouble eating, grooming and dressing.
Stage 3 (Severe): This stage may last 1 to 3 years. During this final stage, people may lose the ability to feed themselves, speak, recognize people and control bodily functions, such as swallowing or bowel and bladder control. Their memory worsens and may become almost non-existent. They will sleep often and grunting or moaning can be common. Constant care is typically necessary. In a weakened physical state, patients may become vulnerable to other illnesses, skin infections, and respiratory problems, particularly when they are unable to move around.
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Memory Problems: Is It Alzheimer’s?
Mild forgetfulness and memory delays are often part of the normal aging process. Older individuals simply need more time to learn a new fact or to remember an old one. We all have occasional difficulty remembering a word or someone's name; however, those with Alzheimer's disease will find these symptoms progressing in frequency and severity. Everyone, from time to time will forget where they placed their car keys; an individual with Alzheimer’s disease may not remember the purpose of the keys. There has been recent interest in a condition called mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Individuals with “amnesic” MCI, the most common form, have memory impairment (for example, difficulty remembering names and following conversations and pronounced forgetfulness), but are able to perform routine daily activities without assistance. These MCI patients generally have normal judgment, perception and reasoning skills. Many people with MCI are at risk for further cognitive decline, usually caused by Alzheimer’s disease. However, while all patients who develop some form of dementia go through a period of MCI, not all patients exhibiting MCI will develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Symptoms of MCI may include:
- Memory problems that are noticed by others
- Poor performance on cognitive tests
- Depression
- Irritability, anxiety and sometimes aggressive or apathetic behavior
Many conditions can contribute to the development of memory problems and dementia; Alzheimer’s disease is just one of them. A decline in intellectual functioning that significantly interferes with normal social relationships and daily activities is characteristic of dementia, which is most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease and multi-infarct dementia (a series of small strokes in the brain) cause the vast majority of dementias in the elderly. Other possible causes of dementia-like symptoms include infections, drug interactions, a metabolic or nutritional disorder, brain tumors, depression or another progressive disorder like Parkinson's disease.
If memory loss increases in frequency or severity, makes an impression on friends and family, begins to interfere with daily activities (for example, employment tasks, social interactions and family chores), seek qualified professional advice and evaluation by a physician with extensive knowledge, experience and interest in dementia and memory problems.
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Visit Your Doctor
Visit your physician if you, your family and friends, notice worsening memory loss that begins to affect normal daily tasks, employment and social interactions. Other signs that may point to Alzheimer's disease include changes in personality, language difficulties, problems with simple mathematical tasks, impairment in gait or movement, and problems with attention and orientation.
A physician with extensive knowledge and experience in dementia and memory problems can perform a thorough evaluation to determine whether someone has dementia, and if so, its potential causes. Other specialists may be called upon for a better diagnosis. Proper medication may be able to slow the progression of the disease and delay cognitive decline. These drugs are generally more effective the earlier they are administered.
Last Reviewed On: 09/11/09
