Difficulties on the job and a noticeable drop in productivity may be an early red flag for young-onset dementia, appearing more than ten years before the condition is formally diagnosed, researchers have reported.
Early-onset dementia refers to cases in which the progressive disease develops before the age of 65, disrupting a person’s career, relationships and emotional wellbeing far earlier than expected. In many cases, no clear cause can be identified.
Because dementia is usually associated with older adults, younger patients can spend years without an explanation for their symptoms. However, scientists in Finland now suggest the disorder may be spotted as much as 15 years sooner by monitoring changes in someone’s workplace performance.
The study, which examined nearly 800 people with early-onset dementia alongside 7,000 healthy participants, found that those who later received a diagnosis were earning an average of $13,800 less per year than their peers as early as 15 years before diagnosis — a gap the researchers linked to reduced productivity.
Across the 12-year study period, the team calculated that people affected by the condition lost roughly $86,000 in earnings.
Dr Eino Solje, the neurologist who led the research, said early-onset dementia often emerges during the years when people are typically at their peak professionally, and is tied to declining work capacity, higher unemployment and leaving the workforce earlier than intended.
He noted that these shifts can cut household earnings and create wider financial consequences beyond the individual patient.
According to the study, reduced workplace productivity was associated with early-onset dementia up to 15 years before a diagnosis was made.
Struggling at work could be an early warning sign of dementias, a study suggests
He added: ‘These findings may partly be explained by delays in diagnosis, which can prolong the period of unrecognized symptoms, and they underscore the harmful, long-term socioeconomic impact of early-onset dementia.’
Many early-onset dementia patients say their symptoms begin at work. Warning signs include struggling to remember appointments or how to do something they have done for a long time before. Some also struggle to concentrate or follow conversations.
In later stages, patients also suffer from severe mood swings, deepening confusion about time, place and life events and suspicion of family or friends.
There is no cure for the disease, but medications are available that may help to slow its progression.
About 200,000 Americans suffer from early-onset dementia, estimates suggest, but that number is rising. Latest health insurance data shows claims for the condition rose 200 percent between 2013 and 2017.
In the study, published in the journal Neurology, researchers tracked 793 early-onset dementia patients for 12 years before their diagnosis.
Overall, 421 patients were struggling with Alzheimer’s disease, while 179 had frontotemporal dementia and nearly 200 others had other forms of dementia, including vascular dementia.
They were matched to 7,000 healthy individuals with a similar age, background and wages over the same period. In the analysis, data was adjusted for factors such as salaries and medical conditions, which can affect earnings.
Broken down by dementia type, researchers found those suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s had lower earnings compared to healthy peers six years before their diagnosis.
Those with frontotemporal dementia had lower earnings from 11 years before their diagnosis.
The study did not conclusively prove that lower wages compared to peers show someone has dementia, only that this is a potential warning sign. Other factors may also be behind the results.
It isn’t clear what causes early-onset dementia, but scientists say about one in 10 people have genes that raise their risk. Those with relatives who have the disease are at a higher risk.
Other factors such as a brain injury from an early stroke or heavy alcohol use may also raise someone’s risk of the disease.
The disease is diagnosed by doctors who assess patients for warning signs of the disease.
Some patients do continue to work for years after a diagnosis, doctors say, but others stop.
Those with early-onset dementia live for about nine years after their diagnosis.
