{"id":34842,"date":"2026-03-09T12:50:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T04:50:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=34842"},"modified":"2026-03-09T12:50:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T04:50:44","slug":"dementia-can-be-hard-to-spot-signs-to-pay-attention-to-from-trouble-eating-to-fitful-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=34842","title":{"rendered":"Dementia can be hard to spot. Signs to pay attention to from trouble eating to fitful sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This is the 84th instalment in a<\/em> series<\/em><\/span> on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.<\/em><\/div>\n
I did not recognise the signs of dementia developing in Mum \u2013 the changes in her walking, her frequent need to urinate, her difficulty in swallowing \u2013 until quite late. Looking back, I see how they developed one after another.<\/p>\n
Here is what to look for in a loved one, or even in yourself.<\/p>\n
Nearly 80 per cent of all dementias are caused by Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/span>. The hallmark of this is the abnormal deposit of proteins \u2013 amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles \u2013 in the brain.<\/div>\n
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<\/div>The writer Anthea Rowan walks with her mother Lala years before the latter was diagnosed with dementia, but when signs of the condition were beginning to emerge. Photo: Anthea Rowan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
These proteins act like roadblocks, disrupting communication between brain cells.<\/p>\n
In the beginning, the hippocampal regions of the brain are affected; the hippocampus is responsible for memory and learning. As these proteins continue to affect other parts of the brain, more bodily functions are affected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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