That rapid decline of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is the focus of the movie Still Alice, which was released earlier this year and based on the book by Lisa Genova. The film emotionally documents the steady decline of Dr. Alice Howland, a university professor and mother of three (who’s played by Julianne Moore), and the effect early Alzheimer’s has on her family. Moore recently earned an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film.

“The personal costs of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease are much higher than typical Alzheimer’s because the disease comes when the patient is still in the prime of life,” said Kelly Garrett, PhD, a neuropsychologist for the Intermountain Neurosciences Institute, based at the Salt Lake Clinic. “The patients are usually still working and may have children at home. Very quickly after diagnosis, patients will need someone to care for them.”

“Thankfully, early-onset Alzheimer’s is actually quite rare,” Garrett said. “It only accounts for about 5-10 percent of all Alzheimer’s cases. Most people don’t need to worry about it.”

Early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease include:

• Difficulty recalling newly learned information (short-term memory loss)
• Forgetting appointments
• Easily distracted
• Trouble with word recall or language comprehension

“For most of us, forgetting things is just a normal part of aging,” Garrett said. “You don’t need to worry about Alzheimer’s disease just because you forgot where you parked your car unless it happens all the time. But if you’re consistently forgetting things, I’d recommend that you contact your doctor.”

There are many potential causes of Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, including brain injuries, stroke, heart disease, severe infections, sleep apnea, vitamin B12 deficiencies, and diabetes. So while Alzheimer’s disease has no known cure, many of the other dementia-causing conditions can be treated. Plus there are some medications and treatments that have had some success in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s if they’re administered early. That’s why it’s important to see a doctor soon if you’ve noticed signs of memory disorders.

What can you do to lower your risk of dementia and improve your cognitive abilities?

Alzheimer’s disease is sometimes a result of genetics and other non-preventable causes, but there are three important things you can do to reduce your risk or delay cognitive loss:

1. Physical activity. “If you could only do one thing to improve your cognitive performance, it would be exercise. Older adults who exercise reduce their risk of dementia by half,” Garrett said. “And it doesn’t have to be a lot of exercise — 20 minutes a day, three days per week, is effective.”
2. Mental engagement. “Although doctors aren’t completely sure of its effectiveness, frequently doing things that challenge the brain seems to help improve cognitive abilities,” Garrett said. “The activity must be intense, challenging, and enjoyable. For example, some people enjoy doing crossword puzzles. But if you don’t like crossword puzzles, try something else. A neuropsychologist can help you find the right brain activities for you.”
3. Social engagement. “Often people will retire from their job and then just sit at home instead of going out and interacting with other people. Those who frequently interact socially with others usually have less cognitive decline,” Garrett says.

People interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s disease or who want to make an appointment with a memory disorder specialist can contact the Intermountain Neurosciences Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray by calling (801) 507-9800.