Psychiatrist Daniel G Amen has taken to TikTok to warn about several warning signs that could indicate Alzheimer’s disease.
The New York Times best selling author filmed himself explaining the eight risk factors that people should look out for.
He began: “Today, I want to talk about eight warning signs your brain is in trouble. Alzheimer’s disease actually starts in the brain decades before you have any symptoms.
“So, the first warning sign for memory – and it’s getting worse than it was 10 years ago.
“80 per cent of people who say their memory is worse than it was 10 years ago have an 80% chance it will continue to get worse.”
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The leading expert in brain health went on to reveal that other symptoms included impulsivity that worsens with time, distractibility and low mood.
Doctor Amen continued: “Number 2. Poor judgement and impulsivity.
“What that means, likely, is your frontal lobes, the part of your brain that supervises you, watches you, is decreasing in activity. Sort of like your break is going offline.
“Third. Short attention span, distractibility… Not like ADHD, that you had it your whole life, but it seems to be accelerating.
“Fourth is low mood. Depression doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women and quadruples the risk in men.”
Doctor Amen explained that being overweight or obese could also affect the brain, and “as your weight goes up the size and the function of your brain goes down.”
He added: “That’s why I’m trim. I do not want to purposely do anything that damages my brain. Having low energy, which often means lower blood flow to the brain.”
Finally, Doctor Amen explained that blood flow problems in any part of the body could be indicative of broader circulatory issues, including the brain.
He said: “Erectile dysfunction. Because if you have blood flow problems anywhere, it means they’re everywhere. And chronic insomnia and sleep apnea.”
The expert concluded: “If you have any of these risk factors, now is the time to get serious about brain health.”