Critter Corner: When Memory Loss isn’t Necessarily Dementia

Dear Raider,

My husband has been experiencing memory loss and it seems to be getting worse. It is coming on pretty quickly too. I read somewhere that memory loss doesn’t always mean dementia. What are some other things that can be the culprit behind his memory loss?

Thanks for your help!

Nadi Mentya

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Dear Nadi,

Forty percent of us will experience some form of memory loss after we turn 65 years old. You are correct that even if we start forgetting things more often, it might not necessarily be dementia. Below are some of the other reasons why this could be happening. Of course, I’m a dog (albeit a smart one and a good boy, I’m told) but not a doctor, so it never hurts to get checked out by a doctor if you’re concerned!

Age-associated memory impairment

If you are experiencing difficulties with memory, but it is not noticeably disrupting your daily life or affecting your ability to complete tasks as you normally would, you may be experiencing age-associated memory impairment.

Signs of memory loss as a part of normal aging include:

• You’re unable to remember details of a conversation or event that took place a year ago.
• You’re unable to remember the name of an acquaintance.
• You forget things and events occasionally.
• You occasionally have difficulty finding words.
• You are worried about your memory, but your friends and relatives are not.
• You have no difficulty learning and remembering new things and/or
• There’s no underlying medical condition that is causing your memory problems.

Though you may have difficulties remembering things on occasion, such as where you left your keys, a password for a website or the name of a former classmate, these are not necessarily signs you have dementia.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

A person with MCI can experience a wide range of cognitive symptoms. Memory problems can include impaired thinking skills, language difficulties, disorientation in time and space, poor judgement, and/or impaired depth perception.

MCI can come in various forms: forgetfulness is the most familiar form. Another is an executive functioning, which mainly affects efficiency in getting things done and difficulty with tasks that used to be easier, such as balancing a checkbook or paying bills online. There is even a behavioral variant in which mild changes in personality may predominate. These various forms of MCI often coexist.

MCI may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. However, not everyone diagnosed with MCI goes on to develop dementia. Last year, Mr. Farr wrote an article about how MCI is widely underdiagnosed. Read “Seven Million Americans Have Mild Cognitive Impairment and May Not Know It” to learn more.

Dementia

When your memory loss is severe to the point where it’s affecting your daily life and ability to stick to your normal routine, it may be a wise idea to get checked out for dementia. Below are some examples of what people commonly experience in the early stage of dementia.

They may find it:

• difficult to learn new things and retain new information;
• challenging to complete tasks you’re familiar with;
• hard to recall details of recent events or conversations;
• challenging to recognize or know the names of family members;
• common to forget things or events more frequently;
• more likely to have frequent pauses and substitutions when finding words in a conversation;
• affects day-to-day abilities;
• difficult to remember the day of the week;
• more likely to get lost in familiar places;
• more common to make bad decisions and use bad judgment;
• difficult to employ abstract thinking, such as understanding what numbers and symbols mean;
• more likely to put things in places where they shouldn’t be, such as putting their keys in the refrigerator;
• more common to have severe changes in mood;
• lessens their interest in friends, family and favorite activities;
• increases challenges in understanding visual and spatial information;
• more likely that changes in their abilities are being noticed by others.

Not everyone experiences the same symptoms or combination of symptoms. Sometimes dementia can be the cause of these issues, so it’s important to see a doctor and get everything checked out. For more details on dementia, please refer to Mr. Farr’s many articles on the subject!

If you are concerned about any of these signs, the next step is to talk to your doctor. Only a qualified health-care provider, after multiple assessments and tests, can confirm whether you or someone you know has dementia.

Hope this is helpful!

Raider