Psychiatrist reveals 7 early warning signs your brain is in trouble

For many of us, our biggest fear of aging is brain-related conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. These conditions can be so frightening, and so devastating to those who love us, that even the smallest lapse of memory can feel like a five-alarm fire.

The situation is probably not that serious. But Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist known online as “BrainMD,” says there are certain symptoms to watch out for that could indicate you need to see a doctor.

The psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen shared 7 warning signs of brain health and the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s:

Dr. Amen is a psychiatrist, researcher, and author of the New York Times best-selling book “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.” His unconventional views on brain science and mental health have made him controversial, but have also made him highly sought after for his approach, which emphasizes both prevention and treatment.

Conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are no exception. In a recent video, Dr. Amen emphasized the importance of early detection and intervention for these diseases by taking potential clues, such as, yes, memory lapses, seriously.

“Alzheimer’s disease actually starts in the brain decades before you have any symptoms,” Dr. Amen said in his videos. Monitoring these seven indicators could be an opportunity to prevent what doctors call “mild cognitive impairment” from continuing to develop into something more problematic.

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1. Notable memory problems

This is the one we all know, of course. But what is normal memory decline that is just part of aging and what is really a problem?

Dr. Amen said that when there’s a remarkably steep decline that’s “worse than 10 years ago,” it’s time for a deeper dive. If you notice a steep decline, Dr. Amen said, it’s likely to continue to progress without intervention.

2. Poor judgment and impulsiveness

“What this means is probably your frontal lobe, the part of your brain that monitors you, watches you, is slowing down, and that’s not good,” Dr. Amen said. “Like your brain is going offline.”

3. Short attention span and distraction.

This is different from conditions like ADHD, said Dr. Amen It’s more of a worsening condition, one that “seems to be accelerating,” as Dr. Amen put it.

If things suddenly seem to escalate, it’s time to start asking your doctor questions.

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4. Low mood

“Depression doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women and quadruples the risk in men,” Dr. Amen said. Depression has long been known to be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease.

However, a 2023 Danish study found that the connection is even stronger. A diagnosis of depression at any point in life was found to double the risk of Alzheimer’s, even after taking into account other mental or health conditions known to increase the risk.

5. Being overweight

“As your weight increases, the size and function of your brain decreases,” Dr. Amen said. It may seem like a bold claim, but it is supported by several studies.

One from the University of Pittsburgh that focused on brain MRIs found that overweight people had, on average, 4 percent less brain volume and brains that looked about eight years older than their actual age. the person For obese people, these figures doubled to 8% and 16 years, respectively.

6. Low energy

If you struggle to have enough energy throughout the day, Dr. Amen says, “it often means less blood flow” throughout the body, including the brain. And if you have a condition related to low blood flow, like the dreaded ED in men, for example, it probably means your brain is affected too, and it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.

7. Chronic insomnia or sleep apnea

Sleep disturbances have long been known to be linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s, and many studies have shown that they are also predictive of both conditions.

So if you struggle with a sleep disorder, these conditions should be on your radar.

Doctors say early detection and intervention can prevent or delay the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s

It is often the perception that conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s are something we have no control over, but this is often not true. Studies have shown that early intervention can slow or even prevent its development.

These interventions range from medications to help remove plaques from the brain to psychotherapy treatments, lifestyle and diet changes, exercise and sensory stimulation.

Early detection has also been consistently shown to lessen the emotional and especially financial burden of treating these conditions and caring for their caregivers.

So, if you’re experiencing any of these seven symptoms, follow Dr. Amen and talk to your doctor. It could only help in the long run.

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John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer covering pop culture, social justice and human interest issues.