10 early symptoms of dementia: Differences from forgetfulness, signs to check at the stage of mild cognitive impairment

My family gets scared when they see their parents asking again what they just said or wandering down the road they always take. Everyone forgets things as they get older, but it can be easy to get confused about what is natural aging and what is a sign of dementia. We grouped the early symptoms into 10 types, and organized the criteria for distinguishing them from forgetfulness and how to get tested.

What are the early symptoms of dementia?

The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, and in the early stages, changes are mainly seen in memory and judgment. The signs that families often notice are as follows:

• Forgetting a story they just heard or a recent appointment.
• Repeating the same question or story at short intervals.
• Confused about today's date, day of the week, or a familiar place.
• I can't remember the name of an object, so I often say 'that'.
• I left an object in the wrong place and someone took it. I am suspicious.
• I have difficulty doing ordered tasks such as cooking or paying bills.
• I have poor judgment, such as wearing clothes that do not match the season.
• I am not good at counting money or checking change.
• I lose interest in gatherings and hobbies and try to stay home.
• Unlike before, I get angry easily, become depressed, or anxious. I can see it.

Rather than one or two mistakes, the key to judging is whether these changes are increasing over several months and whether the changes are beginning to interfere with living alone.

What is the difference between forgetfulness and dementia?

Forgetfulness is a state in which the process of retrieving memories is temporarily blocked, so when you give a hint, it usually comes to mind. On the other hand, in dementia, problems arise from the stage of storing events in memory, so there are many cases where people are not aware that the event occurred even when hints are given.

Another difference is the person's awareness. People with forgetfulness know that they forget easily and supplement it with notes, but as dementia progresses, they increasingly refuse to acknowledge the fact that they have forgotten or ignore it.

More than anything, dementia is different from simple blinking in that it becomes difficult to manage daily life and social life alone due to memory problems.

자격증 공부도 매일 조금씩 하는 게 몰아서 하는 것보다 오래가더라고요. 같이 준비하는 스터디 친구가 있으면 꾸준히 하기 좋은 것 같아요.

How is mild cognitive impairment different from dementia?

Peterson said that if the person or family member complains of memory decline and the test shows the same. The stage where the person falls below age but is generally able to maintain daily life is classified as Mild Cognitive Impairment. It can be seen as a gray area between normal aging and dementia.

Not all mild cognitive impairment progresses to dementia. In some cases, there are hidden causes that can be corrected, such as low thyroid function, vitamin B12 deficiency, depression, and drug side effects, so it is especially important to find the cause at this stage.

In 2011, the U.S. National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association revised the diagnostic criteria and suggested whether symptoms interfere with daily functions as the standard for dividing dementia and mild cognitive impairment.

Where and how can I get tested?

Only available at Dementia Relief Centers installed at public health centers. If you are over 60 years of age, you can take a cognitive screening test for free. If an abnormality is found in the screening, it is followed by a diagnostic test such as a neurocognitive test and a differential test at a partner hospital. The background to this support system is Summary of the National Dementia Responsibility System.

Hospitals use interviews, cognitive function tests, blood tests, and brain MRI or CT to determine whether it is dementia or the cause of dementia. For the overall concept of the disease, you can also refer to the Dementia document.

When going for a test, if the family writes down by date what changes have occurred and what medications they are taking, it will greatly help the doctor determine the cause and make treatment much easier. It becomes accurate.

What can families do in the early stages?

Regular exercise, leisure activities with people, and management of blood pressure and blood sugar are known to help slow cognitive decline. The longer you stay at home after retirement, the more likely it is that stimulation will decrease, so going to a senior welfare center or senior center program is a good start.

As symptoms progress and the time spent lying down increases, the aspect of care also changes. Please refer to Checklist for care of elderly people living in bed for the tasks and order to take care of at home.

Don't forget to listen to your wishes in advance at the initial stage. If you organize your thoughts about property management or treatment direction, you can reduce the burden on your family when making decisions later.

This article was written by the Campus Down editorial department by matching definitions from various textbooks. · Review 2026-10-26. References: McKhann, G. M., Knopman, D. S., Chertkow, H., Hyman, B. T., Jack, C. R., Jr., Kawas, C. H., Klunk, W. E., Koroshetz, W. J., Manly, J. J., Mayeux, R., Mohs, R. C., Morris, J. C., Rossor, M. N., Scheltens, P., Carrillo, M. C., Thies, B., Weintraub, S., & Phelps, C. H. (2011). The diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 7(3), 263–269; Petersen, R. C. (2004). Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity. Journal of Internal Medicine, 256(3), 183–194. When you talk to your parents on the phone this weekend, quietly check to see if any new changes have occurred in the past three months among the ten above. One record speeds up the inspection time.