Anxiety Or Depression Could Be A Symptom Of Alzheimer's

Could anxiety, depression and various other behavioral changes be early warning signs of Alzheimer's disease? Many health officials are still unaware of key, critical signs linked to the symptoms that can develop into an early diagnosis. 

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis followed 2,416 50 and older who visited 34 Alzheimer's disease centers across the United States but were not diagnosed with the disease. A seven-year study follow up showed that over half of them had developed dementia.

Many changes experienced by the participants included excessive changes in appetite, irritability, depression or boredom. These changes were also seen earlier than those who did not develop dementia. An estimated 30 percent of those who developed dementia also experienced depression after four years of the study compared to 15 percent who didn't have dementia.

Though researchers still need to determine if depression causes dementia in certain cases, they recommend that if an older individual is dealing with behavioral changes, to consult a physician for help.

"I wouldn't worry at this point if you're feeling anxious, depressed or tired that you have underlying Alzheimer's, because in most cases it has nothing to do with an underlying Alzheimer's process," concluded study author Catherine Roe, an assistant professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, via Health Day.  "We're just trying to get a better idea of what Alzheimer's looks like before people are even diagnosed with dementia. We're becoming more interested in symptoms occurring with Alzheimer's, but not what people typically think of."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Neurology.