Dementia refers to cognitive decline which can be attributed to a range of different underlying causes. It’s natural to see some of a person’s cognitive abilities decline over time. However, the defining factor of dementia is a loss severe enough to interfere with ordinary day to day life. The difference between absent mindedness in old age and actual dementia can be subtle. However, the following signs can serve as an early warning of dementia:

1. Memory loss
Memory loss is one of the most well known symptoms of dementia. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a bad memory isn’t necessarily pathologic. One of the larger questions is whether or not the memory loss shows signs of a continual decline. A slight loss in memory over time is normal. But a continual loss of memory which shows no sign of stopping should be considered as a potential sign of dementia.

2. Problem solving difficulties
Difficulty with basic problem solving can show up as a sign of lowered executive processes in one’s brain. Basic problem solving is a far more complex task than people generally assume. To solve even a simple problem one needs to leverage memory, abstract thought, imagination and estimates of probability. Disruption in any part of one’s mind will typically impair even fairly simple problem solving.

3. Confusion about time and place
Confusion about time and place often occurs as a person’s internal narrative declines. One can think of this process as similar to a record player. Normally people see themselves as a needle going along a straight line. However, disruptions in mental processing make an internal narrative similar to a needle skipping on a record. People find their internal perception of time and place randomly skipping to the past or becoming confused in the present.

4. Challenges understanding visual information
People often assume that they see the world only through the use of their eyes. In reality the eyes pass information to the visual cortex. From here information is processed and sent to other parts of the brain. Dementia can interfere with this process in any number of ways. The end effect is that people start to become confused about what they’re looking at as their visual processing functions degrade.

5. Speech issues
Speech involves a complicated mix of mental functions. One needs to have basic language processing, memory of an active vocabulary and the ability to physically form these ideas into vocalized words. Dementia can interfere with speech by damaging any of these or other related areas of the brain.

6. Misplacing personal items
As people’s memory degrades they’ll typically begin to misplace personal objects. This process is one of the most easily noted symptoms of memory loss. It’s also one of the few signs of dementia which one will typically be able to notice in day to day life. One can often rationalize other signs of memory loss. However, misplaced objects are an objective enough event that people will usually recognize a continuing pattern within their life.

7. Poor judgement
Poor judgement is a manifestation of the larger issue of problem solving. Poor judgement is often more difficult to notice than problem solving issues as a whole. Poor judgement tends to manifest with decisions that are out of character. For example, someone might decide on a hair style which is out of character.