According to the "China Alzheimers Disease Report 2024", there are nearly 17 million dementia patients in China, and the trend is towards younger onset. Alzheimers disease (AD), as a neurodegenerative disease with complex causes, can lead to severe intellectual disability. Patients progress from mild memory and cognitive impairment to complete loss of self-care ability, with a course of disease that can last for years or even decades. Currently, there is no long-term effective or curable treatment, causing great pain to patients and their families. Therefore, early prevention in the elderly is crucial.
Professor Dai Wenxin, an expert in the Memory Clinic of Hainan Chengmei Hospital, stated that the key to treating Alzheimers disease lies in "early intervention". Early intervention can delay the progression of the disease and maintain patients ability to care for themselves. Identifying five key signals through early screening can provide strong support for timely intervention.
Signal 1: Memory decline is "unusual", with key events often being forgotten
The typical early sign of Alzheimers disease is "selective memory impairment": patients may remember events from decades ago, but they cannot recall key details of recent events. For instance, they may forget to collect their medical report on time, question whether they have eaten after a meal, or repeatedly check before leaving the house only to realize they forgot their keys. These symptoms are not merely "normal memory decline associated with aging", but rather indicate abnormal cognitive function.
Professor Dai Wenxin reminds us that if family members frequently "forget things they just did or said" and this behavior persists for more than 3 months, it should be a cause for concern. Early detection is essential for early prevention and treatment.
Signal 2: Language communication "stuck", difficulty in both expression and comprehension
Language communication barriers are also important early signals, which are often mistakenly attributed by family members to "the elderly speaking slowly and not liking to express themselves". Professor Dai Wenxin once treated a 65-year-old patient who spoke in "fragments", referring to a cup as "holding water" and a TV as "showing pictures"; there were also patients who could not understand simple instructions such as "put away the clothes on the balcony" and required repeated explanations.
He emphasized that the elderlys "inability to find words", "disordered speech logic", and "difficulty in comprehension" are manifestations of a decline in the function of the brains language center, and they need to undergo professional examination and evaluation at a reputable hospital in a timely manner.
Signal 3: Daily actions "deviate", and familiar tasks are not done well
Alzheimers disease can affect patients executive function, leading to an inability to complete familiar daily tasks, which is often overlooked. For instance, elderly individuals who are usually skilled in cooking may suddenly find themselves unable to cook noodles, while those who frequently use mobile phones may suddenly find themselves unable to unlock or make phone calls. They may also struggle to distinguish the front and back of clothes or the left and right shoes, requiring repeated assistance from family members.
Professor Dai Wenxin pointed out that these "careless" behaviors are manifestations of the brains inability to coordinate the ability of "planning - steps - execution". If a family member who was originally proficient in a task suddenly makes frequent mistakes and shows no improvement after being reminded, it must be taken seriously.
Signal 4: Confusion about space and time, easy to get lost when going out
Decline in spatial orientation and time perception are common early signs, and "getting lost" poses a safety risk. Some patients may experience "time confusion", such as wearing pajamas in the morning and saying "its time to go to work", or not being able to remember the date even after checking the calendar; whats more dangerous is "spatial disorientation", where they cannot find their home in the community where they have lived for decades, or they may walk down a familiar street but not know "where this is".
Professor Dai Wenxin suggests that if elderly family members exhibit symptoms such as "frequently referring to calendars to ask the time" or "getting lost in familiar environments", family members should be vigilant, avoid letting them go out alone, and promptly take them to a reputable hospital for professional examination and assessment.
Signal 5: Emotional behavior becomes "abnormal", with significant contrast in personality and temperament
Sudden changes in mood and behavior are also early signals that cannot be ignored, and are often mistakenly attributed to "elderly people becoming cranky." Clinically, some patients suddenly become "anxious and suspicious," suspecting family members of "hiding money" or "changing things"; some become "apathetic and withdrawn," giving up hobbies and staying in their rooms all day; and some patients exhibit "repetitive behaviors," such as repeatedly opening and closing doors or organizing drawers, without knowing the reason.
Professor Dai Wenxin stated that if family members exhibit significant personality, emotional, and behavioral contrasts that cannot be explained by "being in a bad mood," it is recommended to seek professional evaluation in a timely manner.
Seek medical attention in a timely manner, as early intervention yields early benefits
Professor Dai Wenxin stated that many people believe that "poor memory and eccentric temperament in the elderly are normal," leading a large number of patients to miss the opportunity for early intervention. The core of early intervention for Alzheimers disease is "early recognition, early assessment, and early intervention." Through professional screening in memory clinics (such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), blood tests, and brain imaging assessments), the condition can be clearly identified and a personalized plan can be formulated (including medication treatment, cognitive training, and lifestyle guidance).
Professor Dai Wenxin reminds that if family members exhibit two or more of the above five symptoms and these symptoms persist for more than three months, it is recommended to seek medical attention at a memory clinic in a reputable hospital as soon as possible. Early intervention can delay the progression of the disease, allowing patients to maintain self-care abilities for longer, reducing the burden on family caregivers, and is crucial for both the patient and the family.
Hainan Chengmei Hospitals Memory Clinic integrates professional resources from multiple fields to provide patients with comprehensive, precise, and personalized diagnosis and treatment services.
Expert Introduction
Dai Wenxin, Chief Physician
Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Geriatrics Diagnosis and Treatment Center
Professor, doctoral candidate, postdoctoral researcher
Masters Supervisor
Medical expertise
I. Diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimers disease and other geriatric diseases;
II. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases across multiple disciplines, including respiratory system, cardiovascular system, nervous system, and geriatric diseases;
III. Gene diagnosis, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, microenvironment, and integrated precision treatment of tumors;
IV. Genetic diagnosis and precision treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and hyperglycemia;
V. New biomedical technologies such as stem cells and gene programming, as well as new technologies like insulin pumps and diabetes reversal;
VI. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treating benign and malignant tumors;
VII. Microbial therapy of intestinal flora for chronic diseases and mental and psychological disorders;
VII. Diagnostic and therapeutic techniques under endoscopes in internal medicine, such as bronchoscope, mediastinoscope, and thoracoscope;
IX. Sleep medicine;
X. chronic disease management.
Editor | Huang Fei