This study explored whether early signs of Alzheimer’s disease could be detected in routine medical records. We analyzed the health records of over 295,000 people from the U.S. Veterans Health Administration. We focused on words in doctors’ notes that reflect a wide range of early symptoms, including changes in memory, speech, cognition, mood, physical functioning, and daily activity needs. These signs appeared more frequently and increased more rapidly in people who were later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. A computer model built on these words was able to predict who might develop the disease years in advance. These findings suggest that ordinary clinical notes could help doctors notice early warning signs of Alzheimer’s and support earlier care and planning.

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