To make decisions, we require attention and concentration, planning ability (executive functions), memory, judgement and insight. Alzheimer’s disease affects all these aspects of brain functioning during the different stages of the illness. In the early stages memory is affected and to some extent planning ability. Judgement and insight can be affected early, but in most instances it is affected from the middle stages of the illness.
Written by Dr Frans Hugo, MBChB, M.Med Psychiatry and Dr L. Van Wyk, MBChB, M. Med (Psych) from the Panorama Memory Clinic.
Read more:
How to exercise your mind
When is my memory impaired?
For more information visit: Dementia SA: http://www.dementiasa.org/ or Alzheimer’s South Africa: http://www.alzheimers.org.za