It is the cruel, memory-draining disease that ruins the lives of millions around the world.
However, charities claim that not enough is being done to educate society about the potential warning signs of dementia.
With legendary Hollywood actor Bruce Willis, who was recently diagnosed with the terminal disease, MailOnline has now shared some of the strange early symptoms that can occur.
The 67-year-old Die Hard icon suffers from frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which causes behavioral and speech problems.
It is one of the rarest forms of dementia, accounting for only two percent of diagnoses. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia – accounting for three out of four cases.
Bruce Willis receives a second devastating diagnosis less than a year after discovering he has an untreatable brain condition (pictured in 2019 at Glass’ European premiere in 2021)
Changes in humor and increased swearing are all signs of Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – a form of dementia that causes problems with behavior and language. Poor parking and unkempt clothing are also signs of the memory-stealing disease, according to experts. Graphic tone: Six signs of Alzheimer’s disease
spend money
Handing out money to strangers may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
This is according to research from USC and Bar-Ilan University in Israel, which linked financial altruism to the early stages of the disease.
The study tested the theory on 67 adults around the age of 70.
The participants were paired with people they had never met and received $10 (£8) to split between themselves and the others.
Participants underwent neurological tests to determine their cognitive status and potential risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
The results, published in The The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggested that people at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s were also more willing to give money to the person they had never met.
Dr. Duke Han, a professor of neuropsychology at USC who led the study, said: “It is thought that problems with money are one of the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, and this finding supports that idea.”
changes in humor
Watching slapstick comedy classics like Airplane and Mr Bean could be another sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers from University College London found that people with the condition are more likely to watch slapstick, absurdist or satirical comedy than other people of the same age.
A questionnaire was given to friends and relatives of 48 people with Alzheimer’s and FTD.
They were asked about their loved one’s preferences for different types of comedy and whether their tastes had changed over the past 15 years.
Researchers asked whether they were fans of slapstick comedy like Rowan Atkinson’s Mr Bean, satirical comedy like South Park, or offbeat comedy like The Mighty Boosh.
Family and friends were also asked if they had noticed inappropriate humor in recent years.
According to the 2015 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, people with the disease begin to prefer slapstick jokes nine years before the typical symptoms of dementia appear.
It also found that people with FTD are more likely to find tragic events funny or to laugh at things that others would not find funny, such as a badly parked car or a barking dog.
These changes in humor may be caused by the brain shrinking in the frontal lobe, researchers say.
Shabby dressed
Causing fashion disasters, having trouble fitting clothes, and wearing things that are inappropriate for the weather can be other signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers from the Universities of Kent and York have described how people with dementia are less likely to dress when left to their own devices.
The study, published in Sociology of Health and Illness in 2018, focused on 32 people in three care homes and 15 residential homes in Kent.
The researchers surveyed 28 nursing home workers, 29 caregivers and family members to find out how to attract people with dementia.
Melissa, a family caregiver quoted in the study, said, “I’ve never seen my dad get dirty. Never. Until the day I came home and he was sitting there in his disheveled clothes, which hurt me a lot because I’m not used to it – not at all.
The carers also said that attracting people with advanced dementia is difficult because they need encouragement and help to guide their arms.
Messes and changes in their clothing can be caused by a variety of Alzheimer’s symptoms, from muscle stiffness and jerky arm movements that make it physically more difficult to get dressed, to simply forgetting to wear clothes.
Bruce Willis’ family said the star’s condition had “improved”. FTD affects the brain lobes behind the forehead which deal with behaviour, problem solving, planning and emotions (pictured with AE wife Emma Heming, ex-wife Demi Moore and daughters Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, Evelyn and Rumer)
Bad parking
The memory-robbing condition can make it difficult for Alzheimer’s patients to drive.
The condition impairs motor skills, memory and thought processes, leading to slow reaction times and poor parking, ultimately leading to patients handing over the keys to their cars.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis studied the driving habits of 139 people for a year to see how Alzheimer’s changes the way they drive.
Half of the participants were diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s, while the other half were not.
The study, published in Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy in 2021, suggested that people with the disease are more likely to drive slowly and change direction suddenly.
Bruce Willis’ devastating dual diagnosis explained: How aphasia can lead to dementia
The team used the results to create a model that predicted whether people had Alzheimer’s based on their driving skills.
Nine times out of ten, the model correctly guessed whether someone had the disease.
Swear
Not having a filter and cursing in inappropriate situations can be another red flag.
For example, the filter that people normally use to avoid inappropriate language in front of children is weakened by the disease, allowing people with FTD to let more profanity through.
People with FTD are more likely to use the word “f**k” when asked about words beginning with “f,” researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles found.
The study, published in Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology in 2010, asked 70 patients to name as many words as they could in one minute, beginning with the letters “f,” “a,” and “s.”
They also found that six of the 32 dementia patients said the swear word when asked to name words for “f”, and more said the word “s**t” for “s”.
Does not have a filter
Similar to swearing, when Alzheimer’s sufferers’ brains change, they no longer have a filter.
In many cases, how they act and what they say can degenerate.
Stripping in public, being rude and talking to strangers are all signs of the disease, experts say.
The frontal prefrontal cortex in the frontal lobes of the brain is the part that is filtered. But when you get Alzheimer’s, that part of the brain shrinks.
The Alzheimer’s Association said: “These situations can be very confusing, distressing, upsetting or frustrating for someone with dementia and their loved ones.
“The person with dementia may not understand why their behavior is considered inappropriate. It is very unlikely that they are intentionally inappropriate.’
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
