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A neurologist has cautioned about five signs of dementia that go beyond just memory loss. The specialist emphasizes these symptoms could indicate cognitive decline in a loved one.
Dementia is a syndrome characterized by a collection of symptoms related to the progressive decline of brain function. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 57 million people worldwide are affected by this condition.
While many know that memory loss is a primary indicator of dementia, it’s not the only warning sign to be aware of. In a TikTok video, Dr Baibing Cheng outlined several other symptoms that could be significant.
Dr Baibing, who is frequently known online as Dr Bing, stated: “Dementia involves more than memory loss, and there are additional signs that everyone should know.”
These indicators include:
- Lack of awareness
- Change in personality
- Delusions and hallucinations
- Decline in judgement
- Purposeless movements
Lack of awareness
Dr Bing added: “One such sign is when a person is unaware of their own condition. This isn’t denial or deception but a neurological symptom where the brain fails to recognize its own cognitive decline, known as anosognosia.
“For example, someone might genuinely believe that they’re driving perfectly fine even after getting lost multiple times.”
Change in personality
He continued: “Another indication is a change in personality. This could manifest as losing interest in former hobbies or social activities, withdrawing from friends, or appearing unmotivated. Conversely, you might notice disinhibition, such as someone who was previously polite starting to make inappropriate jokes or rude comments without any restraint.”
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Delusions and hallucinations
“The third sign is delusions and hallucinations, for example, I’ve seen patients with dementia who think that their family members are stealing from them or that a loved one has been replaced by an imposter or they’re seeing people that are simply not there,” he said.
Decline in judgement
Dr Bing said: “Fourth sign is a noticeable decline in judgement and decision making. This often shows up in people’s finances like falling for scams or giving large amounts of money away or making poor impulsive purchases they would never have made before.”
Purposeless movements
Dr Bing called this aberrant motor activity, which is repetitive, purposeless, or inappropriate movements like wandering, pacing, fidgeting, or repetitive actions. He added: “And finally, you might observe aberrant motor activity and this can be a variety of unusual and repetitive movements.
“This might look like pacing back and forth or constantly fiddling with their clothes and these are motor behaviours that seem strange or out of place and don’t serve a clear purpose.”
If someone you know displays any symptoms of dementia, you should speak to a doctor.
