The early sign of Alzheimer's that appears before memory problems

New research reveals that difficulty with navigation, especially in familiar places, may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's, even before significant memory problems. The CDC recommends consulting a doctor if a person gets lost in their familiar neighborhood.

New research reveals that difficulty with navigation, especially in familiar places, may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's, even before the onset of significant memory problems. The article explains that the brain region responsible for navigation, the entorhinal cortex, is among the first to be damaged by the accumulation of tau protein. A review of studies from 2024 and virtual reality experiments showed that high-risk individuals struggled to return to a starting point. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends consulting a doctor if a person repeatedly gets lost in their familiar neighborhood. However, researchers emphasize that the study does not constitute an official diagnostic tool.