Forgetfulness or Dementia – How to Tell the Difference?
It’s not uncommon for someone to forget why they entered a room, the name of a person they just met, or where they parked their car.
Experts emphasize that some memory lapses are not a cause for concern, but seeking professional help for early warning signs can reduce the risk of progression.
How much forgetfulness is part of normal aging?
We all slow down a bit as we age, and many of us become a bit more forgetful, says Professor of Psychology Kaarin Anstey, Director of the Ageing Futures Institute at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. This happens even when we are young and sleep-deprived, reports “The Guardian”.
A common complaint is the feeling of having something “on the tip of the tongue” but being unable to recall, for example, a person’s or a movie’s name, according to Tportal.
Another is temporarily losing things like a mobile phone or keys.
“We call that a normal aging experience; occasionally forgetting where you left something,” says Anstey.
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It’s also normal for tasks to become more difficult or take longer than before. Professor Amy Brodtmann, neurologist and head of the Cognitive Health Initiative at Monash University in Melbourne, says that information processing speed may slow down with age, which can be frustrating and concerning for people used to high efficiency.
“Very successful people often come to me and say: ‘I can’t work the way I used to. I start six tasks at once and never get to the sixth.’” That’s completely normal, she says.
When to be concerned
“If you occasionally forget where you left your keys or find them in the door in the morning, that’s not necessarily cause for concern,” says Dr. Michael Woodward.
If it happens often, increasingly frequently, or involves more serious lapses, like leaving the stove on all night or the water running, it could be more serious.
“Language problems can be an early sign of dementia, especially if speech starts sounding like ‘word salad,’” says Dr. Desmond Graham.
If you experience word-finding blocks, it may be concerning.
Woodward says that occasionally mixing up the names of children or grandchildren is fine, “but if you constantly forget the names of three out of four grandchildren, that is worrisome.”
“One of the classic features of Alzheimer’s disease is that people begin to lose insight,” says Brodtmann.
It’s normal to get lost when driving somewhere you’ve never been, but if someone frequently has trouble finding their way to familiar places, that could be a warning sign.
“We call that topographical or geographical disorientation, and it’s something new because you should have that information in your head,” she explains.
Brodtmann says that if something has emotional significance and grabs your attention, but you forget it, it could be a sign of dementia.
“If someone’s best friend died two days ago and they knew about it, but during a conversation you say ‘That person died, when was the funeral?’ and they have no recollection, that’s truly concerning,” says the professor.
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Repeating the same story in conversation can be an early sign, says Woodward.
“If during one phone call you say: ‘Did I tell you the neighbor across the street planted…’ and a few minutes later you repeat it, that’s concerning.”
“Entering a room and forgetting why you entered—this happens to everyone and is more often a result of a lapse in attention,” says Anstey.
People with ADHD experience this throughout their lives. It happens when you're not focused on what you're doing, so before finishing one thing, your mind moves on to the next.
What else can cause forgetfulness?
Anstey says there are many reasons why otherwise cognitively healthy people may experience memory lapses.
“Mothers with small children staying up all night forgetting where they parked the car or can’t find their keys—those lapses are everyday occurrences,” she explained.
Some people experience so-called “brain fog” after a COVID-19 infection, and forgetfulness or memory problems can also be side effects of chemotherapy or medications for sleep or pain.
Chronic stress can also negatively impact especially short-term memory.
Forgetfulness or absentmindedness doesn’t necessarily mean a greater risk of dementia, but it can make early signs harder to recognize.
“The challenge with mild cognitive impairment is that people often attribute it to normal aging,” says Graham.
At the same time, highly functional individuals who are in early stages of more serious cognitive decline may also be harder to identify, says Anstey.
“They know they’ve regressed and feel that something is wrong, but because they still score well on cognitive tests, they may not show objective impairments in the early stage, so they won’t be diagnosed as early as someone else,” she explains.
Only about one in ten people with early signs—so-called mild cognitive impairment—go on to develop dementia, says Graham. There are a number of interventions that can reduce the risk of progression, such as improved diet and exercise, especially if the problem is detected early.
All experts recommend seeing a doctor as early as possible, especially if friends, family, or coworkers also notice changes.
“Even if people think it’s nothing or are worried that it’s just normal aging, I encourage them to see a doctor,” says Graham.
