Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

Research at the University of Cincinnati indicates that losing your sense of smell may be the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. Relatively few brain cells are devoted to odor detection, so the loss of just a few can have a pronounced effect. Loss of smell doesn't necessarily indicate neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, but it does signal a need for evaluation by a doctor.

The 10 most common early warning signs of Alzheimer's are:

1. Recent memory loss that affects job skills
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks
3. problems with language
4. Disorientation of time and place
5. Poor or decreased judgment
6. Problems with abstract thinking
7. Misplacing things
8. Changes in mood or behavior
9. Changes in personality
10. Loss of initiative

If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, I urge you to talk to your doctor and see if you need to be evaluated for Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's disease affects 26 million people worldwide. I've been raising money for Alzheimer's research for the past seven years by walking in the Alzheimer's Memory Walk. I'll be walking again in a few weeks and invite you to sponsor me with a tax deductible donation to the Alzheimer's Association. Funds are used to support research and help local Louisville families struggling to cope with this debilitating disease.

There are two ways to contribute:

• Mail a check payable to the Alzheimer's Association to: AM Warner Insurance, 4704 Miles Lane, Suite B, Louisville, KY 40219
• Donate by credit card online by going to http://www.08louisvillememorywalk.kintera.org.
  Along the top choice bar, click Find a Walker Enter my name, Allison Warner, and click Search. Scroll down to my name and click on it. Then just follow the prompts.

If you have any questions or have trouble contributing online, please call me at 502-742-4979. I'd be happy to walk you through the process. Thank you for supporting the Alzheimer's Association and me. Together we can make a difference!