Defining the Disease

What Is Early Onset Alzheimer’s

Early onset Alzheimer’s disease is defined as Alzheimer’s disease being diagnosed prior to the age of 65. However, symptoms can begin affecting individuals in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. It is estimated that as many as 10% of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease have early onset Alzheimer’s, which could be in excess of 500,000 individuals in the United States. Early onset Alzheimer’s disease usually has a rapid onset and progression.

Society often thinks that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease are forgetful and unable to recognize people. While those can be symptoms of the disease in the later stages, the disease impacts the brain in more ways beyond these two symptoms. In early onset Alzheimer’s disease, difficulties with language, daily tasks at work, depth and distance perception, and personality changes are often the first symptoms noticed.

This is Not the Normal Aging Process

As symptoms begin to appear, it is easy to think the symptoms may just be part of the normal aging process. You might even dismiss the symptoms as stress-related or due to depression. All of us can experience momentary episodes of forgetting where we put things or walk into a room and forget why we entered the room. However, when symptoms are happening on a frequent basis it is important to go to the doctor. These symptoms are not part of the normal aging process and they are not stress related. Keep a detailed record of the symptoms experienced, as well as the date and time they occur.

We have created a document titled “Preparing for the Doctor’s Appointment” under the Diagnosis link that you can print and use to record your symptoms and concerns prior to seeing a doctor.

Facts and Statistics on Alzheimer’s

With respect to early onset Alzheimer’s disease, it is difficult to find accurate statistics, as most surveys only look at numbers of Alzheimer’s patients aged 65 and over.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, early onset Alzheimer’s disease impacts approximately 5-10% of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, it is estimated that there are 5.7 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease, thereby bringing the numbers for individuals with early onset Alzheimer’s to between 250,000 and 600,000 individuals. However, many researchers estimate that the number of individuals living with early onset Alzheimer’s disease is much higher than reported.

While early onset Alzheimer’s disease is often downplayed as a rare occurrence, you might this fact interesting. In 1906, Alois Alzheimer presented the results on his post-mortem study of a 51-year old female. She was the first patient who suffered from a disease that we now know as Alzheimer’s disease. Her first symptoms were jealously towards her husband and soon after this she became disoriented in her home. She also had severe language disturbances and had difficulty performing common tasks.

We also know individuals with early onset Alzheimer’s disease face unique challenges and issues that are different than those living with the disease that are over the age of 65. This information is discussed in detail under the heading “Challenges of Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease”.