Could your ‘midlife crisis’ really be a sign of early-onset dementia?

FEEL like you're a mid-life crisis? It could actually be a sign of early-onset dementia, according to an expert.

Feeling of stressed, depressed and confused could actually be an early warning sign of the disease, but it's often misdiagnosed in people under 65.

Dr Carmela Tartaglia, a clinician scientist at the University of Toronto, said not all cases of dementia come with "white hair and wrinkles".

"Imagine you tell your 55 year-old mum you’re going to get married and she’s too disorganised to help you with the wedding preparations," she wrote in

"Or you put your kids on the bus to elementary school and the 57 year-old driver forgets the route.

"These are real scenarios, drawn from my clinical work with patients who have young-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

"While the underlying pathology of both young-onset and late-onset Alzheimer’s is the same — the abnormal accumulation of proteins called amyloid and tau in the brain — there are significant differences in how the two diseases are experienced.

"Patients who are under 65, for example, often have difficulties with language, visual processing and organising and planning. They have less of the classic memory complaints.

"There is also accumulating evidence that young-onset Alzheimer’s progresses faster."

Dementia confused with depression

The path to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other dementia is often long, meandering and riddled with misdiagnosis, Dr Tartaglia said.

"Many times, younger patients will notice changes in their cognition at very early stages," she said.

"They may notice increased difficulty in organisation or planning.

"They may forget how to do complex tasks or forget appointments. Cognitive impairment is more obvious when completing highly demanding tasks at work or coordinating family logistics.

"When a young person goes to see their doctor and reports such changes in cognition, the 'd' word brought up is usually depression and not dementia.

"Until the correct diagnosis is made, there can be many misinterpretations of their changes in thinking — resulting in conflicts with family, friends and colleagues."

FIND OUT MORE What is dementia, how is it different from Alzheimer’s and what are the symptoms and stages of the disease?

Susan Drayton, Dementia UK’s clinical lead for the Admiral nurse dementia helpline, added: "There is still so much misunderstanding about dementia; families facing the condition feel left in the dark and often don’t know the signs and symptoms to watch out for.

"It can even get misdiagnosed as shown by reports of people who have had signs of dementia dismissed as a ‘mid-life crisis’.

"There are in fact a number of similarities between symptoms of dementia and a ‘mid-life crisis.’

"These can include strains in relationships, especially if a person is withdrawn or depressed.  Repetitive or compulsive behaviour can also be another warning sign for families to watch out for.

"This is why it’s imperative to get specialist dementia care and advice early on so that if dementia is the root cause, families can then plan for the future."

Divorce before diagnosis...

Many people are likely to go through a relationship breakdown sooner than they will get a diagnosis.

That's because a change in personality can be misinterpreted by the partner as indifference, as a midlife crisis or as something else.

"There can be a changing of roles within a couple and it is not uncommon for separation or divorce to occur before a diagnosis is even made," Tartaglia added.

"If young children are involved, it can be difficult for them to understand the change in their parent’s personality.

"A correct diagnosis is essential for every patient but especially important for younger people.

"They are often still working and at risk of losing their jobs. They may have young children.

"When they tell people that something isn’t quite right, they are told they are depressed or must be going through a midlife crisis."

So, how can you reduce your risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's.

There is currently no cure for the disease, but trials are underway to target the abnormal proteins linked to the condition.

"We also promote a healthy lifestyle that includes aerobic exercise because evidence shows this can slow neurodegeneration," Tartaglia said.

"We want people to remain cognitively active and go on learning to help their brain reserve.

"Although patients with young-onset Alzheimer's are impaired in some activities, there are many other activities that they can participate in. 'Use it or lose it' is the motto we should live by when it comes to the brain and preserving its function."

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