The Early Alzheimer’s Symptom Doctors Say Women Should Never Ignore

Occasionally forgetting a name or appointment is not typically cause for concern, explains Beth Battaglino, RN-C, CEO of HealthyWomen, an organization dedicated to women’s health in midlife. For example, if you forget the name of an old TV show but remember it a few minutes later, that is not consistent with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. However, persistent changes that interfere with your daily functioning, such as repeatedly asking the same question or getting lost in a familiar place, are reasons to start a conversation with your doctor, she says.

Battaglino explains that ruling out other medical reasons for cognitive issues, as well as addressing conditions that can increase dementia risk like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation, is a good place to start.

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Getting a Diagnosis When Cognitive Problems Are a Concern

Key takeaways

  • Primary care doctors may dismiss cognitive complaints as stress or normal aging.
  • Brief visits and limited dementia training for primary care physicians make a careful assessment hard to get.
  • Being persistent, switching doctors or seeking a specialist can help patients and their families get answers.

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Cancer-Like Mutations Found in the Brain May Be Driving Alzheimer’s Disease

Scientists have uncovered a surprising overlap between cancer genetics and Alzheimer’s disease, involving mutations in the brain’s immune cells.

As we age, our cells quietly collect genetic mutations—most of them harmless, some potentially dangerous. But what if the same kinds of mutations that fuel cancer are also shaping diseases of the brain?

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