Early Alzheimer's's disease is also commonly known as early-onset Alzheimer's's, and understanding and recognizing early symptoms and changes in the disease process may help provide some relief of symptoms and allow individuals to make plans for future care before cognitive levels drastically decrease. Alzheimer's is a disease of the brain that results in brain cell death. Memory loss and decrease in cognitive skills or thinking processes are not a part of normal aging processes but are a sign of dementia that most often takes the form of Alzheimer's's.
Early Stages of Alzheimer's
Because Alzheimer's is a progressive disease process, the symptoms of decline have been broken down into stages. Alzheimer's disease incorporates seven stages, from normal function to very severe cognitive decline.
Stage One
Stage one of Alzheimer's, considered early signs, display fairly normal functions and abilities. In most cases, this stage holds no apparent or obvious signs of difficulty with daily living skills and functions beyond occasional memory loss.
Stage Two
Stage two Alzheimer's still displays an individual who can function normally, though one who has begun to notice more frequent bouts of memory loss or lapses. This stage might find an individual forgetting familiar words or where he or she placed an object. For example, a woman might consistently forget where she put her purse, when she's been hanging it on a closet doorknob for years. Or a man might forget what kind of car he drives. However, at this stage, individuals, as well as family and friends, are not readily able to note that something is wrong.
Stage Three
This stage of Alzheimer's is still considered an early stage of the disease but one that also brings with it more obvious signs of cognitive decline. For example, friends, family and coworkers may begin to notice that an individual is having difficulty remembering things or has more frequent lapses in concentration. One of the most common symptoms at this stage is a person forgetting names of friends and distant family members. Remembering names of people he or she has just been introduced to is also common, as is forgetting what he or she just heard on the news or read in the newspaper.
Stage Four
This stage is commonly referred to as mild or early-stage Alzheimer's and involves increasingly obvious difficulty with daily living tasks and functions. In such cases, an individual might forget count or manage the checkbook. Forgetting details about family life are also common during this stage, as is an individual who becomes increasingly moody or withdrawn. Because of awareness that memory is failing at this stage, many individuals withdraw from social or family functions out of embarrassment or shame.
Later Stages
Stages five through seven of Alzheimer's display a steadily decreasing ability to function in formerly familiar environments. These individuals will most likely need help with daily living tasks and may eventually need aid for basic care such as eating, dressing and toileting. The later stages of the disease almost always limit an individual's ability to respond or communicate, and even reflexes will diminish until the body shuts down completely.
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