Alzheimer's disease
Often begins with difficulty learning or remembering recent information. Language, planning, and orientation may also be affected. Some people have a different pattern of early symptoms.
When should memory changes be checked?
Memory impairment means having more difficulty than expected learning, remembering, or recalling information. Repeatedly forgetting recent conversations or asking the same question may be a reason for an evaluation.
Memory difficulty is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Depression, poor sleep, medication effects, vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid disorders, and other health problems can affect thinking. Hearing or vision difficulties can also affect communication and test performance. An evaluation helps identify the cause and any treatable contributors.
Occasional age-related changes
- Forgetting a name, then remembering it later
- Sometimes misplacing keys or glasses
- Using an occasional reminder while remaining independent
- Taking longer to learn unfamiliar technology
Time to see your doctor
- Forgetting recent events again and again
- Getting lost in a place you know well
- New difficulty managing medications, paying bills, or preparing familiar meals
- Family or friends notice changes that you do not
Mild cognitive impairment and dementia
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) involves changes in memory or other thinking skills beyond what is expected for age. Independence is largely preserved, although complex tasks may take more time or effort. With dementia, cognitive changes interfere with independent daily functioning. Neither condition is simply a normal part of aging.
| Area | Normal aging | Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) | Dementia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory and thinking | Small slips now and then | Noticeable changes in memory, language, attention, or other thinking skills | Significant changes in one or more thinking abilities; memory loss is not always the first symptom |
| Daily life | Independence is preserved | Still independent. Harder tasks take more effort | Cognitive changes interfere with tasks such as managing money or medications |
| Over time | Changes do not substantially disrupt daily functioning | Some people stay the same, some get better, some get worse | Many causes are progressive; the pattern and speed vary |
How a memory problem is checked
1. Understand the changes
We review symptoms, their timing, and their effect on daily life. With your permission, input from someone who knows you well can help.
2. Assess thinking skills
A brief cognitive assessment may help guide the next steps. A test score alone does not establish a diagnosis.
3. Review health and medications
The evaluation may include an examination, medication review, and blood tests for contributors such as vitamin B12 deficiency or thyroid disease.
4. Plan further evaluation
Brain imaging, more detailed cognitive testing, or referral to a neurologist or memory specialist may be appropriate.
Types of dementia
Dementia describes a decline in thinking abilities that affects independence. Different diseases can cause it, and more than one cause may be present.
Vascular dementia
Related to reduced blood flow or blood vessel injury in the brain, including strokes. Attention, planning, and processing speed may be affected. Changes can develop gradually or in steps.
Lewy body dementia
May cause fluctuations in attention or alertness, visual hallucinations, slow or stiff movements, and acting out dreams. Symptoms differ between individuals.
Frontotemporal dementia
Often begins with changes in behavior, personality, or language and may occur at a younger age. Memory can be relatively preserved early on, but patterns vary.
Mixed dementia
More than one disease contributes to cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s disease and vascular disease commonly occur together.
Other causes
Cognitive decline can also occur with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. Normal pressure hydrocephalus, alcohol-related conditions, and certain infections require specific evaluation and treatment.
Treatable contributors deserve attention
Depression, sleep apnea, medication effects, and some metabolic or nutritional problems can cause or worsen cognitive symptoms. Treating these contributors may improve function, but improvement is not guaranteed. They can also occur alongside dementia; identifying a treatable problem does not necessarily rule dementia out.
How support needs may change
Stages are broad descriptions, not a fixed timetable. Needs vary by the cause of dementia and the individual.
MildMay need help with complex tasks such as finances or medications while remaining independent in much of personal care.
ModerateMore help or supervision may be needed with daily activities. Mood, behavior, and sleep can change.
SevereExtensive support is usually needed for personal care. Communication, mobility, and swallowing may become affected.
Common signs of dementia
Dementia is more than forgetting. Watch for changes that are new, keep happening, and make daily life harder.
Memory
- Forgetting recent talks or appointments
- Asking the same question or telling the same story again and again
- Increasing dependence on others to remember essential tasks
Planning
- Trouble following a familiar recipe
- New difficulty managing bills or medications
- Simple tasks take much longer
Words
- Trouble finding the right word
- Losing track of a conversation
- Using the wrong name for common things
Time, place and sight
- Not knowing the date, season, or where you are
- Getting lost in familiar places
- Trouble judging distance or reading
Judgment
- Spending money in unusual ways or falling for scams
- New difficulty maintaining personal care, meals, or safety
- Putting things in odd places and not finding them
Mood and behavior
- Pulling away from hobbies, friends, or family
- New anger, worry, suspicion, or sadness
- Restlessness or sleep problems
Even one new or persistent change deserves attention, especially getting lost, unsafe driving, or medication errors. Do not wait for several symptoms or for them to become severe before contacting us. Sudden confusion requires emergency assessment.
Memory checks and cognitive assessments
A brief cognitive assessment can help identify whether further evaluation is needed. It cannot diagnose dementia on its own, and a normal result does not rule out a problem when symptoms persist.
Should everyone without symptoms be screened?
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine cognitive screening in community-dwelling adults age 65 or older who have no recognized symptoms. This is different from evaluating a concern raised by you, your family, or your clinician. Cognitive concerns may also be discussed during a wellness visit.
Checklist to bring to your visit
Mark any new or worsening changes to discuss with your clinician. This is an appointment checklist, not a validated screening test, diagnosis, or risk score.
A conversation starter, not a score
The number of boxes checked does not determine whether you have dementia or how urgently you need care. Contact us about any new or persistent concern. For sudden confusion or a possible stroke, call 911.
Your selections stay on this page and are not sent to the office. Print them if you want to bring them to your visit.
Tests your doctor may use
Your clinician may choose one of these tools as part of an evaluation. Performance-based tests require appropriate administration and interpretation. The AD8 gathers observations from someone who knows the person well. These links provide information about the tools; they are not a substitute for an appointment.
| Test | Typical time | What it assesses | Official resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-Cog | About 3 minutes | Remember three words and draw a clock | Mini-Cog information |
| MoCA | About 10 minutes | Short tasks for memory, focus, words, and planning | MoCA information |
| MMSE | 5–10 minutes | Questions about the date and place, memory, focus, and language | MMSE publisher (commercial) |
| SLUMS | About 7–10 minutes | Questions about memory and focus, plus a clock drawing | SLUMS information |
| AD8 | About 3 minutes | A family member or friend answers eight questions about changes they have noticed | Washington University (PDF) |
Tool access, permissions, and training requirements vary. Some official resources are intended for clinicians. Please do not practice test questions before a clinical assessment.
Results can be affected by education, language, hearing, vision, mood, and sleep. If a test shows a concern, it is the first step, not the final answer.
Care for the person and the family
Care depends on the cause of cognitive changes, the person’s goals, and the support they need. Our primary care team can help coordinate evaluation, follow-up, and specialist referral when appropriate.
Everyday health and safety
We can review medications and other health conditions, discuss sleep and mood, and address concerns about driving, medication management, falls, or getting lost.
Planning and support
Involving trusted supporters, with the patient’s permission, can help with routines and future care planning. Caregivers also need practical help, rest, and access to community resources.
Help and support for families
Alzheimer's Association
Information, caregiver support, and help finding local resources. Call the free, 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
National Institute on Aging
Patient and caregiver guides about memory, dementia, and living with cognitive changes.
Schedule a memory evaluation
Contact Ahad MD PC in Troy to discuss memory or thinking changes. Bring a medication and supplement list, examples of what has changed, and your glasses or hearing aids. If you wish, bring a family member or friend who knows you well.
1380 Coolidge Highway, Suite 250 · Troy, MI 48084
Our team will contact you to confirm your appointment request.