Doctors name the signs of dementia that warrant seeing a specialist

Which symptoms should raise concern

The first signs of dementia may appear as forgetfulness, difficulty finding words, and changes in habitual behavior — as reported by Izvestia citing psychiatrists. Ruslan Isaev, head of a psychiatric clinic and Candidate of Medical Sciences, named the inability to recall the names of familiar objects as an alarming symptom: a person may forget what the TV remote is called, confuse words, or not remember recent events. According to him, elderly people sometimes try to hide such difficulties and steer the conversation to another topic.

From forgetfulness to the loss of everyday skills

Doctors advise paying special attention to changes that were not typical for the person before: if a previously organized relative begins to forget important appointments, visits to the doctor, or everyday tasks, this is a reason to be alert. Psychiatrist Anatoly Minin noted that as the disease progresses, everyday skills are lost — a person forgets how to cook, leaves appliances turned on, and has difficulty with self-care. In later stages, disorientation, suspiciousness, hallucinations, and pronounced apathy are possible.

What the specialists advise

Specialists recommend not attributing noticeable changes in memory and thinking solely to age, but consulting a doctor when alarming symptoms appear. According to them, caring for vascular health, controlling cardiovascular diseases, and regular intellectual activity help reduce the risk of developing dementia. The article also refers to an earlier publication about the 'autumn empty-head effect' among Russians, which a neuropsychologist previously described; details of that separate observation are not disclosed in the current report.