Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia that is incurable and ultimately fatal. Although genetics plays a factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease, in most cases it is not clear how the disease develops. Alzheimer's disease begins with mild symptoms and signs that are mostly an inconvenience and eventually progresses to an incapacitating dementia.
Memory
One of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss. Although this is a normal part of growing older, it can be more pronounced in people with Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's may find themselves repeating things or forgetting where they've put something, with the missing item often discovered in an illogical area (such as car keys put in the freezer).
Abstract Thinking
Another area that Alzheimer's disease affects is a person's ability to do exercises in abstract thinking. Abstract thinking often involves working with numbers and doing simple mathematical exercises. As a result, an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease is trouble balancing a checkbook or figuring out the tip at a restaurant.
Mood
Alzheimer's disease also can cause marked changes in the person's emotional state and mood. Depression is frequently one of the first signs of Alzheimer's disease. The disease can also cause moodiness, aggressiveness, difficulty in trusting others, anxiety and social withdrawal.
Judgment
Early Alzheimer's also affects a person's judgment. This can make it difficult to solve simple everyday problems, such as what to do if food is burning on a stove. As a result, an early symptom of Alzheimer's can be difficulty in doing things that require planning or decision making.
Stalling Behaviors
Often, a person who is experiencing beginning symptoms of Alzheimer's will develop techniques to compensate for his new deficiencies in memory and reasoning. Often these will manifest themselves in behaviors that are designed to stall for time, such as smoking or briefly changing the subject. As a result, people suffering from Alzheimer's may develop new habits or ask questions that give them more time to remember something or understand the situation.
