Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease or Common Forgetfulness? How Can You Tell?
Sometimes when a younger person forgets a few things of the course of the day they may jokingly remark that they “must be getting Alzheimer’s” But are there occasions where these light hearted remarks actually have validity?
The vast majority of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease begin displaying symptoms after the age of sixty five but there are cases when the disease manifests itself at an earlier age.
British author Terry Pratchett has been writing since he was a teenager and was the UK’s bestselling author throughout the 1990s, mainly thanks to his “Discworld” series of fantasy novels. He averaged two novels a year and certainly seemed to be a very sharp and intelligent man with a fine brain. In 2004 doctors believed that the then 56 year old had suffered a stroke but they changed that diagnosis in 2007, when it was discovered he was suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
Pratchett discovered he was not alone. There are about 200,000 people suffering with early onset Alzheimer’s in the US alone right now. Like any other patients medical science is not completely clear about why the disease occurs at all but for those who develop it before the age of 65 there is a growing belief that the cause may be genetic.
But how do doctors (or indeed people themselves) differentiate between common forgetfulness in younger people? Who doesn’t misplace their keys, cell phone or wallet at least once in a while and we all clam up trying to remember a name occasionally. Since many doctors believe there is a genetic component to early onset Alzheimer’s a family history of the disease may mean that those whose parents or grandparents suffered from the disease should be more concerned if such episodes occur on a regular basis.
Alzheimer’s of course is not just about forgetfulness. As the disease progresses victims begin to “forget” how to do even the simplest of things such as dressing themselves or using a fork properly. This is often when the real concern begins and the point when a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is first considered.
Returning to Mr Prachett, who is now 61 years old, he is still in the public eye, raising funds and awareness for all victims of Alzheimer’s. In a 2008 interview he admitted that he could no longer manage to write even the dedications at a book signing without assistance but he still hopes to “stay ahead of the game” long enough until a cure is found.
November 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 am
As one who has worked with Alzheimer patience, and also fears at times my own symptoms of early onset, I don’t think this article has given any information about symptoms of the difference between “just forgetfulness” and early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. I’m in my mid 40’s and have noticed my forgetfulness getting worse. I may be more aware of this because I’m around it, but at the same time I also know that although some forgetfulness is “normal” i.e. “what did I do with the keys?” Is it also “normal” to go upstairs and forget “why” you went up? Is it “normal” to go to the grocery store and forget to buy milk or go and buy “another” milk because you can’t “remember” whether or not you “remembered” the last time you went? Is it “normal” to take medication twice or not at all because you can’t “remember” whether or not you already took it? Is it “normal” to “forget” to pay a monthly bill because you have “too much” on your mind or because you just didn’t “remember” to pay it??? You see, these are the type of questions I need answered in articles such as this one leads people to think it’s about…Because these are the type situations I find myself in on a daily basis and people always say “Oh you’re too young to worry about Alzheimers”…OR AM I?? How ’bout you?? uuuuhhhhmmmmmm