Symptoms:

Problems may involve language, memory, perception, emotional behavior or personality, and cognitive skills (such as calculation, abstract thinking, or judgment). Dementia usually first appears as forgetfulness.

Symptoms include:

• Changed feeling (sensation) or perception
• Changed sleep patterns
  • Change in sleep-wake cycle
  • Insomnia
  • Need for increased sleep
• Decrease in problem-solving skills and judgment
• Disorientation
  • Confused about people, places, or times
  • Unable to pick up cues from the environment
• Disorders of problem-solving or learning
  • Trouble making calculations
  • Unable to learn
  • Unable to think abstractly
  • Unable to think in general terms
• Impaired recognition (agnosia)
  • Trouble recognizing familiar objects or people
  • Trouble recognizing things through the senses
• Lack of or poor language ability (aphasia)
  • Unable to form words
  • Unable to name objects
  • Unable to read or write
  • Unable to repeat a phrase
  • Unable to speak (without muscle paralysis)
  • Unable to understand speech
  • Have impaired language skills
  • Repeat phrases
  • Speak poorly (enunciation)
  • Use slang or the wrong words
• Memory problems
  • Unable to remember new things (short-term memory problems)
  • Unable to remember the past (long-term memory problems)
• Motor system problems
  • Gait changes
  • Impaired skilled motor function (apraxia)
    • Unable to copy geometric figures
    • Unable to copy hand positions
    • Unable to dress self
  • Inappropriate movements
  • Other motor system problems
• Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations) and having false ideas (delusions)
• Severe confusion
• Personality changes
  • Anxiety
  • Decreased ability to care for oneself
  • Decreased interest in daily living activities
  • Depression
  • Inappropriate mood or behavior
  • Irritability
  • No mood (flat affect)
  • Not flexible
  • Only concerned with self (self-centered)
  • Poor temper control
  • Unable to function or interact in social or personal situations
  • Unable to keep a job
  • Unable to make decisions
  • Withdrawal from social interaction
• Unable to be spontaneous
• Unable to concentrate

Other symptoms that may occur with dementia:

• Incontinence
• Swallowing problems

Signs and tests:

The following tests and procedures may be done:

• B12 level
• Blood ammonia levels
• Blood chemistry (chem-20)
• Blood gas analysis
• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
• Drug or alcohol levels (toxicology screen)
• Electroencephalograph (EEG)
• Glucose test
• Head CT
• Liver function tests
• Mental status test
• MRI of head
• Serum calcium
• Serum electrolytes
• Thyroid function tests
• Thyroid stimulating hormone level
• Urinalysis