Alzheimer's disease: symptoms, causes, care and which doctor to see
What Alzheimer's disease is, early signs of memory loss, how it is diagnosed, what treatment can and cannot do, and support for families.
Also known as: AD; Alzheimer dementia (AD); Alzheimer disease; Alzheimer sclerosis; Alzheimer syndrome; Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD) and 5 more
DAT; Familial Alzheimer disease (FAD); Presenile and senile dementia; Primary senile degenerative dementia; SDAT
What Alzheimer's disease is
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disease that slowly damages the nerve cells involved in memory, thinking and behaviour. It is the most common cause of dementia, the umbrella term for a decline in memory and thinking that is serious enough to interfere with everyday life. In Alzheimer's, abnormal protein deposits build up in and around brain cells, connections between cells are lost, and over time the cells die and parts of the brain shrink.
The disease usually begins after the age of 60 and gets gradually worse over years. It is not a normal part of ageing. Many older people forget a name or misplace their keys now and then; in Alzheimer's the forgetting is steady, progressive and starts to affect the person's ability to manage on their own. There is no treatment yet that stops the disease, but diagnosis, good care and planning make a real difference to the person and to the family looking after them.
Symptoms
The first signs are often subtle and easy to put down to age or stress. Families commonly notice them before the person does. Typical early and later symptoms include:
- Memory loss, especially for recent events, conversations and appointments, with the same questions asked again and again
- Confusion about time, dates or place, and getting lost on familiar roads
- Difficulty finding words, following a conversation or keeping track of a story
- Trouble with planning and handling money, bills, cooking or medicines that the person once managed easily
- Misplacing things and sometimes accusing others of taking them
- Changes in mood and behaviour, such as withdrawal, irritability, anxiety, suspicion or low mood
- Poor judgement, for example about strangers, money or safety
As the disease advances, the person may need help with dressing, bathing and eating, may not recognise family members, may wander or become restless in the evening, and may have trouble with walking, swallowing and bladder control. The pace varies a great deal from one person to another.
Not all memory problems are Alzheimer's. Depression, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), low vitamin B12, side effects of medicines, infections, hearing loss and small strokes can all affect memory, and some of these are treatable. This is why a proper assessment matters.
Causes and risk factors
Scientists do not fully understand why Alzheimer's disease develops. It is thought to result from a combination of age-related changes in the brain, genes, health conditions and lifestyle. Known risk factors include:
- Increasing age, which is the strongest risk factor
- A family history of Alzheimer's, particularly in a parent or sibling
- Certain genes; one common gene variant raises the risk but does not mean a person will definitely develop the disease
- Rarely, specific inherited gene changes that cause the disease to start early, sometimes in a person's 40s or 50s
- Conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol
Researchers are still studying whether controlling blood pressure and diabetes, staying physically and socially active, and protecting the head from injury lower the risk. These habits are good for health in any case, but no one can promise that they will prevent Alzheimer's.
How it is diagnosed
There is no single test that confirms Alzheimer's disease in everyday practice. The doctor builds the diagnosis step by step and, just as importantly, looks for other causes of memory loss. It helps greatly if a family member who knows the person well comes to the appointment.
- History — when the problems started, how they have changed, and how they affect daily life, work, money and safety
- Memory and thinking tests — short question-and-answer tests of memory, attention, language and problem-solving; more detailed testing may be done by a psychologist
- Blood tests — to look for thyroid problems, low vitamin B12, diabetes, infection and other treatable causes
- Brain scan — a CT or MRI scan to look for strokes, tumours, fluid build-up or shrinkage of particular brain areas
- Review of medicines — some sleeping tablets, allergy and bladder medicines can worsen memory in older people
In some centres, specialised scans or tests of the fluid around the spine can look for the proteins linked to Alzheimer's. These are not needed for everyone and your doctor will explain whether they would change anything. Genetic testing is generally considered only when the disease starts unusually early or runs strongly in a family, and should come with genetic counselling.
Treatment and care
Treatment aims to keep the person as independent, comfortable and safe as possible for as long as possible, and to support the people caring for them.
Medicines
Medicines for memory symptoms, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine, can help some people with memory, thinking or daily function for a time. They do not stop the disease, and not everyone benefits. Newer antibody medicines that remove amyloid protein from the brain are approved in some countries for people in the early stage; they are given in specialist centres, need careful monitoring with scans and are not suitable for everyone. Your neurologist can explain whether any of these are an option. Doctors may also treat depression, sleep problems or severe agitation, using medicines cautiously because older people with dementia are more sensitive to side effects.
Everyday care
Much of the help that works best is practical. A predictable daily routine, clear calendars and labels, a pill organiser, good lighting, hearing aids or glasses where needed, regular exercise and time with familiar people can all reduce confusion and distress. Removing trip hazards, making the gas stove and sharp tools safe when needed, and keeping an ID card in the person's pocket help with safety.
Supporting the caregiver
In India most people with dementia are looked after at home, often by a spouse or a daughter or daughter-in-law. Caregiver support is part of treatment: learning about the disease, sharing the load among family members, arranging respite and looking after your own health. Ask your doctor about caregiver support groups or memory clinics near you. Planning early, while the person can still take part, for finances, property, legal decisions and future care avoids hard choices later.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if memory or thinking problems are getting worse over months, are affecting work, money or household tasks, or are worrying family members. Seek help sooner if the change is quick, over days or weeks, because that points to another cause such as infection, a medicine problem or a stroke.
Call 112 or 108, or go to the nearest emergency department, if a person suddenly becomes very confused or drowsy, develops weakness on one side, a drooping face or slurred speech, has a fall with a head injury, or cannot be found after wandering away from home.
Which doctor to see
A general physician can do the first check and the blood tests. A neurologist usually confirms the diagnosis and plans treatment, especially if the person is under 65, the symptoms are unusual or there are other neurological signs. A geriatrician looks after older people with several health problems, and a psychiatrist helps with depression, anxiety, agitation or hallucinations.
You can find neurologists in Bengaluru, geriatricians in Bengaluru or psychiatrists in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Questions to ask at your appointment
- Could anything else, including a medicine, be causing these memory problems?
- How sure are we that this is Alzheimer's disease and not another type of dementia?
- Would a memory medicine help, and what side effects should we watch for?
- Is it still safe to drive, cook or handle money?
- What changes should we expect, and when should we come back?
- Where can the family get training, respite or support?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Is Alzheimer's disease the same as dementia?
- Not exactly. Dementia is the general term for a decline in memory and thinking that affects daily life. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, but others include vascular dementia after strokes and dementia linked to Parkinson's disease.
- Is Alzheimer's disease hereditary?
- Having a parent or sibling with Alzheimer's raises your risk somewhat, but most people with a family history never develop it. Rare inherited forms that start before the age of 65 do run strongly in families, and genetic counselling is advised there.
- Can Alzheimer's disease be reversed or stopped?
- No current treatment reverses or stops Alzheimer's disease. Some medicines can ease memory symptoms for a time, and good care, routine and treating other health problems help people live better with it. Be cautious of anyone promising to reverse it.
- How can families cope with behaviour changes like anger or wandering?
- Stay calm, avoid arguing, and look for a trigger such as pain, hunger, noise or a need for the toilet. Keep a routine and keep doors safe. Ask the doctor for help if behaviour changes are frequent or put anyone at risk.
- Is forgetfulness in old age always a sign of Alzheimer's?
- No. Occasional forgetfulness is common with age. It becomes a concern when memory problems steadily worsen or interfere with daily tasks. Depression, thyroid problems, low vitamin B12 and some medicines can also affect memory and are treatable.
This condition is usually assessed by a neurologist. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Neurologists in Bangalore
A few neurologists listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Alzheimer's Disease; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Alzheimer's Disease
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Alzheimer's disease
- Government of India — Emergency Response Support System (112)
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Alzheimer's Disease — Public-domain health-topic summary
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Alzheimer's disease — Public-domain Genetics summary
Alzheimer's disease: symptoms, causes, care and which doctor to see is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-0162.