Cognitive Changes in AD: Apathy and Delusion
In the last post we considered the cognitive change of depression, and how it can affect those with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as well as some tips to help discern between pure depression and AD.
Today we’ll consider other cognitive change often seen along with AD – apathy and delusion.
Some AD patients develop frustration, agitation or combativeness, which can be extremely difficult to treat and manage (if you are a caregiver for an AD patient with these symptoms, you are all too aware of the strain this can create). Sometimes change in personality with agitated features can be an early manifestation of AD so pay close attention to this. Read More
Depression and Alzheimer’s
In the first three posts (1, 2, 3) of this series we explored how to identify and understand many symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as well as how to use them to build a historical timeline. These posts provide a good foundation for moving forward in our basic understanding of AD.
In this post we move into the topic of cognitive changes associated with early AD, and include an exercise you can try with your loved ones at home. Read More
In the last post we began to take a closer look at some of the more widely known symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as well as to explore the differences between normal aging and cognitive impairment within those symptoms. In this post I am going to provide you a list of areas in your day-to-day life where symptoms of AD appear, to help you better distinguish normal aging from the signs of something more serious. Read More
This is the second post in a blog series by Dr. John Dougherty, intended to simplify and demystify Alzheimer’s disease, and help you better recognize the signs and symptoms.
In the last post we learned that the single most important place to begin our understanding of Alzheimer’s is history. I start the process by building a timeline from symptom onset with the individual (and family members). In the next few posts we’ll take a look at Alzheimer’s symptoms. We begin the list today with some of the more widely known symptoms, but we examine more closely how to distinguish signs of normal aging from those of possible impairment within them.
Repeated and persistent signs of forgetfulness
As people age they frequently complain of losing keys, losing a wallet or purse, a checkbook, or some other staple item. With normal aging you may forget where you parked your car after shopping, or you may forget a turn or two in the car but not be lost. Read More
This is part of a blog series by Dr. John Dougherty, to simplify and demystify Alzheimer’s disease, and help you better recognize the signs and symptoms.
As the first in a series of posts I’d like to begin my telling you a bit about myself. I’ve been a neurologist for 25 years, and an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) specialist for more than 10 years. As the Director of the Cole Neuroscience Center in Knoxville, TN I currently follow over 2,000 patients with AD in my practice.
I lost my mother, my uncle and my grandmother to Alzheimer’s disease. My mother died in her mid-eighties, and had AD symptoms for almost 15 years prior to her death. Read More
