Correct answers: E
Alzheimer’s. The word alone can trigger fear and brings to mind the many serious and debilitating symptoms experienced by so many people. According to Johns Hopkins University, Alzheimer’s disease affects about 5.2 million Americans age 65 and older, and hundreds of thousands younger than that who have early-onset Alzheimer’s.
What causes Alzheimer’s disease? Although billions of dollars are spent annually on Alzheimer’s and dementia research (Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia), scientists don’t yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer's or dementia.
Scientists believe that age, personal health, family history, genetics, and abnormal protein deposits in the brain play a role. They also know that Alzheimer’s is a progressive condition, which is why noticing possible symptoms early may be a key to early diagnosis and slowing disease progression.
Scott Kaiser, M.D., director of geriatric cognitive health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, says: “Although there’s no cure yet, it can be slowed down, and the earlier it’s caught, the better your chances of reducing the disease’s progression.”
In this article, 5 Early Signs of Alzheimer’s You May Not Expect, you’ll learn that memory slips aren’t the only clue. Another early symptom may be difficulty recognizing sarcasm. This occurs because the disease interferes with the ability to read vocal and facial cues. That means a person may lose their internal lie detector or ability to know when someone is being sarcastic or joking.
Read the article to learn more about this surprising early symptom and others.
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