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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The Silent Symptom Most People Don't Realize Could Be a Dementia Sign, According to Neurologists
The Silent Symptom Most People Don't Realize Could Be a Dementia Sign, According to Neurologists originally appeared on Parade. Neurologists frequently hear patients say they chalked up early dementia signs to something else entirely."Many early cognitive changes—such as slower processing speed [and] reduced comprehension—are often dismissed as natural aging rather than indicators of dementia," reports Dr. Adel Aziz, MD, a neurologist with JFK University Medical Center.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊However, symptoms like memory loss (that are more frequently linked to dementia) aren't the only ones to know about."Understanding lesser-known signs of neurodegenerative disorders can help with earlier recognition and diagnosis by a medical provider," says , a behavioral neurologist at there's no cure for dementia, sometimes, cognitive decline can be slowed, especially when caught early. Here, neurologists reveal the silent dementia sign that's often Neurologists warn that apathy is a silent sign of dementia. "Apathy, or the loss of goal-directed thought and behavior, is one of the earliest signs in some types of dementia, especially frontotemporal dementia, but it's often overlooked because it doesn't manifest as active distress," Dr. Aziz says. Unlike forgetting how to get home, Dr. Aziz explains that people often mask apathy as preference for solo time, tiredness, shyness or natural aging. "A person who once planned outings or made social calls may simply stop engaging," he sadly, loved ones may feel silently hurt by the changes. "It can appear that the person does not care or is depressed when this is not the case," points out , an assistant professor of neurology at New York Medical Neurologists report that there are several potential reasons why a person with dementia can become apathetic. Dr. Amodeo shares that the chemical changes and cell losses in parts of the brain associated with motivation can impact a person's desire to participate in activities they once loved., a board-certified neurologist at Remo Health, says situational factors may also contribute to apathy. "Individuals may feel that everything is so much harder, making it seem 'not worth the effort,'" he explains. "Additionally, they might feel 'useless' or like 'a burden.'" According to Dr. Amodeo, apathy is associated with several types of dementia, including: Alzheimer's Disease Lewy body dementia (LBD) Vascular dementia Frontotemporal dementia Apathy's place as a symptom of that fourth one, frontotemporal dementia, has gotten more attention lately. Frontotemporal dementia is often diagnosed early (between the ages of 45 and 65). A 2020 study indicated that apathy could predict frontotemporal dementia years before symptoms start."It may be more commonly associated with frontotemporal dementia because those with this disease typically show changes in personality or mood as an early feature [because of] the function of the frontal lobe of the brain—the part of the brain disproportionately impacted in frontotemporal dementia," Dr. Amodeo also note that apathy predicted a faster decline. "Apathy may be associated with a faster decline in function, because it reduces the person's ability to adapt and cope with their decreased function," Dr. Lesley explains. "Also, it takes away some of the situations that tend to support cognitive health—social activities, exercise, cognitive activities like reading, and getting adequate nutrition and good sleep."Related: Dr. Lesley explains that apathy is not a condition but rather a description of a feeling, or lack thereof. He reveals that common signs of apathy include: Loss of interest or joy in things that used to be fun Less motivation to do things (even those that are important for survival, like paying bills or eating) Less Goal-directed activity can all be associated with apathy Loss of motivation to participate in self-care, including personal and home hygiene (not brushing teeth or cleaning the home) However, neurologists say it's important to understand that apathy has numerous triggers. If you or a loved one is experiencing apathy, it may not be dementia. Related: "Just because a person seems apathetic, they may not necessarily have dementia or be at risk for dementia," Dr. Amodeo says. "It can be observed in other [conditions], such as depression. A diagnosis of dementia would not be based on having this one feature alone."According to Dr. Amodeo, additional symptoms that signify that the apathy might be connected to dementia include: Gradual and progressive changes in cognitive function, including memory, language, attention and focus Hallucinations or delusions Sleep changes, such as insomnia or dream enactment Changes in confusion or alertness (Dr. Amodeo explains a person might be confused later in the day, which is called "sundowning") Mood or personality changes Related: Experts say speaking to a primary care physician is a great start. If they're concerned about cognitive decline, they'll order testing to learn Carlisle notes that there is no cure for dementia, but there is hope. "There are medications aimed at treating the symptoms," she explains. "There are a number of lifestyle modifications that can slow cognitive decline." She shares that these shifts include: Regular moderate-level exercise Following a Mediterranean-style diet Participating in socially and cognitively engaging activities Reducing stress Getting high-quality sleep Treating vision and hearing issues A dementia diagnosis can be hard on someone (and worsen apathy). Additionally, apathy may be a sign of a mental health condition exclusively. Either way, Dr. Amodeo shares that you deserve support for your mental well-being. "I would recommend reaching out to their provider, such as their primary care provider, who may refer them to a psychiatrist or psychologist," she says, adding that Psychology Today is a good resource for finding therapists. Up Next:Dr. Adel Aziz, MD, a neurologist with JFK University Medical Center Dr. Tara Carlisle, MD, a behavioral neurologist at UCHealth Dr. Katherine D. Amodeo, MD, an assistant professor of neurology at New York Medical College Dr. Daniel Lesley, MD, a board-certified neurologist at Remo Health Apathy in presymptomatic genetic frontotemporal dementia predicts cognitive decline and is driven by structural brain changes. Alzheimer's & Dementia. The Silent Symptom Most People Don't Realize Could Be a Dementia Sign, According to Neurologists first appeared on Parade on Jun 15, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Eliminating This 1 App From Your Phone Can Double Your Focus, According to Cognitive Experts
Many apps were designed with the promise of making us more productive, efficient and connected. It's a nice idea, but often these apps are more distracting than not, making it more difficult to focus and even taking away from your social life."In fundamental ways, and for the worse, [technology including email] has shifted our focus," says Dr. Terri R. Kurtzberg, Ph.D., a professor of management and global business at Rutgers Business School. "It's the curse of the incoming message notification that has done the most damage—studies have shown that seeing the notification flag is as distracting as actually stopping what you're doing and checking the actual message. Our minds are already gone, wondering what it is."🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊Dr. Kurtzberg and other cognitive experts have a message for people: Delete (or take significant steps to limit use of) this one app on your phone, and you'll actually boost Cellphone Setting May Reverse Brain Aging by a Decade, According to New Study Believe it or not, it's email. "Emails can be a major distraction if not consciously managed and can compromise task performance [because of issues like] increasing time spent on tasks and perhaps reducing quality," warns Dr. Adel Aziz, MD, a cognitive and behavioral neurologist at JFK University Medical Center. "Work performance needs sustained attention—[AKA] focus—to complete tasks at hand. This requires limiting distraction."However, Dr. Aziz concedes some jobs—for better or worse—require people to be "on" and aware of frequent updates. Emails have become a default way to communicate, but there's a reason you're better off reading and responding to them on a computer. Dr. Kurtzberg studies electronic communication and distraction, and she and her team have found that interacting with your phone is even more distracting than using a laptop, even when performing the same task."We believe this is because your phone is more of a social-association object—even though many of us do work tasks on it all day long—so having it in your hand is a reminder of the social media you'd like to check or the people you'd like to be chatting with," she explains. "The laptop inspires more of a 'do whatever it takes' mindset, while the phone brings out the softer side." Often, using your phone for email does more than remind you of other apps. It triggers you to open them, sometimes switching back and forth between responding to a colleague's question, paying a bill, responding to a Paperless Post toddler birthday invite on behalf of your the list goes on."When email is one of the many apps on our phones and we're constantly shifting from app to app as phone notifications pop up, our brains can't keep up with the chaos," explains., a neuropsychologist with the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago and McKnight Brain Research Foundation trustee. "Fast-paced multitasking adds to our cognitive load and negatively impacts attention and focus."Also, research suggests that multitasking—often considered a hallmark of a "10/10 worker"—isn't even a thing our brains can do. In a 2019 Cerebrumarticle, neuroscientists Dr. Kevin Madore, Ph.D., and Dr. Anthony Wagner, Ph.D., wrote, "Multitasking is almost always a misnomer, as the human mind and brain lack the architecture to perform two or more tasks simultaneously." Instead, Drs. Madore and Wagner said we're evolutionarily wired to "single-task," so instead of "multitasking," we're just switching from one task to another, potentially to the detriment of work quality, connection and focus. "Emailing while you're watching a video on your phone overloads the brain and makes it harder to transition between activities, plan, problem solve and sustain attention," Dr. Boyle that's why Canadian researchers found that taking the Internet off our phones improved people's focus—it helped people devote attention to one task at a time. (Oh, they also shaved a decade off their brain's age.)Related: The idea of deleting your email from your phone may spike anxiety, especially if you aren't feeling too hot in other aspects of your life. To some extent? That's part of the problem."When we have a slightly negative feeling state, such as boredom or anxiety or angst, we are drawn to distract ourselves, and we might open our email app," explains Dr. Yann Poncin, MD, an associate professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine. "If we compulsively check our email in the early morning or late at night, we activate anxious thoughts, which saps our energy and attention." To be "fair" to email, it's not the only app that serves as a focus vampire. It's not a bug in the apps, it's a feature."Email and much of technology is reminiscent of gambling," Dr. Poncin shares. "Gambling works by having intermittent little your email gives you little hits of satisfaction—'dopamine hits'—the brain molecule that moves you to action with anticipated reward, hits that keep you coming back, whether that satisfaction is an item you read or the distraction you gave yourself."Related:'I'm a Brain Scientist, and This 2-Minute Habit Makes Me Feel 10 Times Sharper' Plot twist: Despite what she knows about focus and technology, Dr. Kurtzberg doesn't actually recommend completely removing email from your phone. "It doesn't take too many unpleasant surprises when returning to the email to end up abandoning that practice," she explains. Instead, she recommends a middle-ground approach that centers on vigilance about notifications. Dr. Kurtzberg never gets email notifications on her phone, so she has to consciously open the app to check them. When you check in, ask yourself, "Is this email so important that I must respond now?" "Most people are surprised to learn how few messages actually need urgent attention, and it can free them up to schedule email checks at periodic moments throughout the day," she reveals. "This requires a reliable sorting system for incoming messages, for example, by keeping messages marked as unread or flagging them so you know they won't get lost later.. Dr. Aziz says email tools like SaneBox or "can help clean up your inbox, filter less important emails, and create summaries of subscription-based content." He also recommends devoting a specific amount of time to email. "Consider using your calendar for focused work and strictly scheduling email time within that. This way, your calendar is a tool to protect your focus," Dr. Aziz advises. "Ultimately, it comes down to controlling when and how you engage with email without compromising your availability or flexibility, especially in a managerial role. However, it's also about setting boundaries in a way that allows you to be as present and effective as possible when you do engage." Up Next:Dr. Terri R. Kurtzberg, Ph.D., a professor of management and global business at Rutgers Business School Deception by device: are we more self-serving on laptops or cell phones? International Journal of Conflict Management. Dr. Adel Aziz, MD, a cognitive and behavioral neurologist at JFK University Medical Center Dr. Patricia Boyle, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist with the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago and McKnight Brain Research Foundation trustee Multicosts of Multitasking. Cerebrum. Blocking mobile internet on smartphones improves sustained attention, mental health, and subjective well-being. PNAS Nexus. Dr. Yann Poncin, MD, an associate professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine
