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Dementia

Symptoms & Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Symptoms of dementia often aren't noticed right away. Or if they are, people sometimes assume that dementia is just a part of aging. However, as more brain cells die, more brain functions are lost, and symptoms become more severe. Common symptoms of dementia include the following:

being disoriented to time and place

changes in mood, including depression and anxiety

delusions, or believing things that are not true

hallucinations, which include hearing, seeing, feeling, and smelling things that do not exist

impaired ability to orient the body to the surrounding space

language breakdown, with slurred speech and trouble finding the right words

loss of bowel and bladder control

a loss of interest in activities that gave pleasure before

memory loss that affects the person's skills. Short-term memory, or memory of recent events, is particularly affected in people with dementia.

misplacing belongings

personality changes, including agitation, irritability, paranoia, and hostility

poor or decreased judgment

trouble doing familiar activities

Sometimes, family members may not want to face how serious their loved one's decline is. Doctors may misdiagnose the condition.

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