Certain medical conditions may signal early-onset Alzheimer’s disease several years before diagnosis, a new Finnish study suggests.Researchers found that depression, vertigo, headaches and other conditions were more common during the five years preceding diagnosis, potentially offering clues for earlier detection.The researchers analyzed medical records from 407 people with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and 4,035 people of similar age and sex without the diagnosis, focusing on the 15 years prior to diagnosis.SUBTLE CHANGE IN HOW YOU SPEAK COULD BE EARLY SIGN OF DEMENTIA RISK, NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTSThe average age at diagnosis was 60.Early-onset disease is diagnosed in people under 65.The findings were published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.Certain medical conditions may signal early-onset Alzheimer’s disease several years before diagnosis, a new Finnish study suggests.
(iStock)The following conditions were found to be significantly more prevalent among those who were ultimately diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.DEMENTIA RISK MORE THAN QUADRUPLES AMONG ADULTS WITH COMMON DISORDERResearchers found that depression, vertigo, headaches and other conditions were more common during the five years preceding diagnosis.(iStock)Differences in medical conditions were most pronounced in the five years before an early-onset Alzheimer's diagnosis, the study showed.3 THINGS TO AVOID IN MIDDLE AGE COULD MEAN 13 MORE YEARS WITHOUT DEMENTIA, STUDY FINDSThe researchers also found that healthcare visits increased substantially among early-onset Alzheimer’s patients immediately before and during the time of diagnosis, which may indicate emerging symptoms.CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES"It is well-known that the neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease begin at least 15 to 20 years before clinical cognitive symptoms appear," said Suvi-Johanna Krüger, M.D., Ph.D., study co-author and clinical lecturer at University of Oulu, in a p...