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DEAR HELPLINE, I am a 42-year-old woman and my friends have recently been telling me that I am repeating a
lot and seem to be forgetting things. I know I am repeating myself more often than I used to, and that I do forget things, but
it does not seem that bad to me. I have suffered from depression in the past which caused my memory not to be so great,
but could this mean that it is something else I should be worried about, like Alzheimer’s disease? — WORRIED
Dear Worried,
The Alzheimer’s Association often hears from people
who have similar questions about their own health. The
best thing one can do if worried about Alzheimer’s disease
or other health issues is to become educated and asking this
question is a fantastic start.
The symptoms you describe, such as repeating
yourself and becoming more forgetful, could, in fact, be
early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. However, these
symptoms could also be caused by other health issues, such
as early menopause, a reaction to medication or, as you
mentioned, depression.
Depression can include symptoms that look like
Alzheimer’s disease, such as problems in concentration,
memory impairment, forgetfulness, and difficulty making
decisions. People with depression might complain about
their memory, but they often do well on tests that evaluate
cognitive function. And people with dementia often deny
they have memory problems but do not do as well on
similar tests. Also, a depressed person is less likely to show
severe mood swings, whereas someone with dementia
shows a wider range of emotions and sometimes makes
inappropriate emotional responses.
Depression can be treated, but that process can be quite
complex. While symptoms don’t go away immediately,
depression often responds well to psychotherapy,
sometimes along with medication.
If you are concerned that you might be dealing
with Alzheimer’s disease, a good next step would be
to schedule yourself for a diagnostic evaluation. A
diagnostic evaluation is performed by a team of doctors,
specialists in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, as
well as other health care professionals. The evaluation
consists of a number of different components including a physical, blood tests, personality and memory testing,
and a neurological exam. The evaluation will also include
either an MRI, PET or CAT scan so the team can see
an image of your brain to get a better sense as to what,
if anything, might be causing your symptoms. Although
diagnostic evaluations do not provide one hundred
percent accuracy in terms of whether or not Alzheimer’s
disease is present, they are able to come to a conclusion
with roughly ninety to ninety-five percent accuracy. The
evaluation will also help to rule out the possibility that
other medical conditions are causing or exacerbating the
symptoms you describe.
Your history of depression will be especially important
for you to share with the team. Be sure to share with the
team if there is a family history of young-onset Alzheimer’s
as that is also important information.
Not only will a diagnostic evaluation point you in
the right direction as far as what to do next, but it will
also provide you with a
baseline in terms of your
current memory and
functioning, which will
be helpful down the road
should your symptoms
increase.
Remember, too, that
some memory loss is part
of normal aging. Not every misplaced item or forgotten
name means Alzheimer’s disease. Learn as much as you can
about the disease so that you can recognize the symptoms.
And learn as much about yourself as you can through a
diagnostic evaluation.
For more information
about diagnostic
evaluations or where you
can get one, please call
our
24-hour Helpline at
800-272-3900.
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