Memory Loss Is Not Always the First Sign of Dementia. Doctors Say to Watch for These 8 Eating Changes

Neurologists say certain changes tied to eating can signal cognitive decline—even when your memory remains intact.

Over six million people in the U.S. live with dementia. By 2050, that number is expected to double.

Yet, even so, the signs of cognitive decline can be difficult to spot.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, Majid Fotuhi, MD, PhD, the head of the Center for Memory and Brain Health at LifeBridge Brain & Spine Institute in Baltimore, told Inc. It typically begins by attacking the brain’s memory center. As a result, short-term memory loss, repeating questions, and getting lost in familiar places tend to be the earliest signs of dementia.  

While about one in every three people over

While about one in every three people over the age 85 will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it is not the only form of dementia.

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Frontotemporal dementia, commonly referred to as FTD, attacks the frontal and temporal lobes first. These are the areas of the brain responsible for judgment, social behavior, and impulse control. With this type of disease, the memory is still fully intact, Fotuhi said.

However, unlike Alzheimer’s, one early hallmark of FTD is changes in eating behavior—especially sudden sweet cravings, overeating, and eating the same foods over and over. 

What eating changes signal early warning signs of dementia?

Fotuhi told Inc. that the changes worth paying attention to are less about what someone is eating and more so about how they are eating. Patterns and relationships shifting, like someone craving dessert when they never had a sweet tooth before or overeating without registering fullness, are some hallmarks of this behavior.

Source: www.inc.com