Red flag: 10 signs it's time to take your memory issues seriously

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Memory is one of the biggest concerns as people grow older. Small daily lapses in memory may make you suspect you are facing the first symptoms of a serious illness. How do you know if these are normal age-related changes or signs that require urgent medical attention? The brain, like any other organ, undergoes natural changes as the years pass. However, there are clear signs that indicate the need for professional help. Here are 10 signs of cognitive decline that you should not ignore.

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When we are young, our brains are more plastic and can adapt and change easily. That’s why we are full of energy and can multitask. But as we age, our attention span starts to decrease.

Do you often go to the kitchen and suddenly forget why you were there? That's perfectly normal. However, you should start to worry if the lapses happen when you are supposed to be concentrating on just one thing, instead of when you are tackling five things at once.

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We all forget we’ve made plans every once in a while, no matter how old we are. But if you're having trouble keeping up with your routine and the regular activities you've been doing for years, something else is going on.

If you recently forgot an important appointment with a friend or didn't remember to pick up your grandchild from school, don't be alarmed, but consult your primary care doctor as soon as you can to rule out any major issues.

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Occasionally forgetting where we have left our keys or where we keep our passport can happen at any time in life. However, misplacing important things regularly, like your credit card or your wedding ring, can be a worrying sign, especially if you have always been a neat and organized person.

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In addition to memory issues, another sign that can alert us that we may have Alzheimer's is experiencing vision changes. This can lead to balance or reading problems.

You may also have trouble judging distances and determining color or contrast, which can cause problems driving a car. For your safety and the safety of others, if you think you have any of these symptoms, you should consult a physician.

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Alzheimer's and dementia are not just about forgetting things. They are cognitive and behavioral diseases. In addition to memory loss, there are other important signs to consider, like depression, irritability, apathy, and anxiety, among others.

In many cases, these symptoms begin to appear several years before a diagnosis is confirmed, so it is important to pay attention to them as soon as we notice that something is changing in our behavior.

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Have you ever struggled to find the exact word when talking? People with Alzheimer's or dementia may have trouble following or participating in a conversation.

They may stop talking in the middle of a conversation with no idea how to continue. They may even struggle with vocabulary, having trouble naming a familiar object or using the wrong name (such as calling a "pencil" a "writing stick").

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Absent-minded people tend to repeat the same stories and questions, and in most cases, it’s just a personality trait. It’s totally normal to ask again for an important piece of information if we were busy the first time we were told. But if you come across a person who wasn't always a repeater and lately keeps asking the same things over and over again, it's worth looking into it.

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The ability to be oriented in space, known as visual-spatial memory, can become impaired in the early stages of cognitive decline. Getting lost on familiar routes, such as the usual walk to the supermarket or to a relative's house for no apparent reason, is one of the most obvious signs that something is wrong.

These types of episodes should be considered a warning sign unless there were recent changes in your surroundings’ infrastructure.

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Some people living with memory issues due to Alzheimer's or dementia experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan. They may have difficulty working with numbers or following a known recipe, for example.

If you feel you are having a harder time concentrating or it takes you longer than usual to handle everyday tasks such as paying monthly bills, then it’s time to consult with your doctor.

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Family history is a significant risk factor. If a parent developed Alzheimer's symptoms at an early age, there is a greater chance that their offspring will also face cognitive impairment at a similar age.

Nonetheless, an early diagnosis allows patients to implement lifestyle changes, adopt appropriate pharmacological treatments, and, in many cases, significantly delay the progression of the disease.

A piece of medieval wisdom

10 medieval inventions that changed the Western world

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The idea that the Middle Ages were a time of ignorance and technological stagnation is widespread, but nothing could be further from the truth, especially considering that the medieval period lasted nearly 10 centuries.

Although the first few centuries of the medieval period were marked by chaos due to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and the birth of new nations, many technological advances during the Middle Ages contributed to shaping the modern world.

Mechanical Clock

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Humanity has been trying to measure time since the beginning of history. Ancient civilizations developed several types of clocks—some more accurate than others—such as sundials, hourglasses, and water clocks.

Fully mechanical clocks appeared in the 13th century, usually installed in church towers, and were equipped with bells to announce the passing of hours. More advanced versions also featured hands to display the time.

Three-Field Crop Rotation

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Growing the same crop repeatedly on the same plot of land leads to the soil losing nutrients and becoming unproductive. Farmers were aware of this and had been using crop rotation in a two-field system since antiquity: they would sow half of the land and leave the other half to rest. The following year, the roles would be reversed, ensuring the soil remained fertile.

In the 8th century, medieval farmers started dividing the land into three parts: one was planted with winter crops (sown in the fall), another with spring crops such as legumes, and the third was left to rest. This new method not only increased the harvest, but the greater diversity of crops improved overall nutrition due to the greater diversity of food.

Eyeglasses

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There are records of visual aids used in ancient Rome and Greece, often made from precious stones like emeralds, and Arabic sources describe the use of magnifying glasses. However, the first pair of eyeglasses was developed in Italy in the mid-13th century. These early glasses had convex lenses, meaning they were only useful for farsighted individuals. Glasses with concave lenses, suitable for nearsightedness, would not be developed until the 15th century.

Universities

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The existence of prestigious learning centers in antiquity is well documented, but universities as we know them are a medieval development. In the chaos of the early Middle Ages, Christian monasteries preserved and transmitted classical knowledge, becoming centers of education and research.

The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is considered the first institution to be academically independent and to award higher education degrees to both clergy and laypeople.

Grindstone Machine

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While humans had already been using grindstones to sharpen knives and weapons for centuries, they used a static stone, which required a significant effort for the person doing the sharpening.

The earliest known record of a rotating grindstone machine operated by a lever dates to the 8th century. By the 14th century, a pedal-and-crank mechanism had been incorporated, allowing for better control of the speed and making the sharpening process much easier.

Magnetic Compass

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Ancient mariners and travelers used the stars and other natural landmarks to determine their geographic position, but this method depended on good weather and clear skies. By the 13th century, some records describe sailors using a magnetized needle floating in water to point north.

The modern, round compass is often attributed to the Italian sailor Flavio Gioia in the early 14th century. He is said to have combined the floating needle with a wind rose and encased it in a box, making it portable, reliable, and easy to use.

Movable Type Press

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Many people believe Gutenberg to be the inventor of the printing press, but woodblock printing dates back to ancient China, and the screw press had already been introduced by the Romans in the 1st century. By Gutenberg’s time, paper presses were widely used in Europe, but what was groundbreaking were the changes he introduced to the printing process.

Gutenberg modified the basic paper press to mechanize it and ensure even pressure across the paper surface. He also developed a system of movable type, which allowed the press to reproduce any text at a higher speed. He is also credited with the development of an oil-based ink, more suitable for paper printing than the traditional water-based ink.

Central Heating

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The ancient Greeks and Romans developed central heating systems that relied on hot air traveling through pipes, but these systems disappeared after the fall of the Roman Empire. During the medieval period, Christian monks living in the Alps developed a new system that used underfloor channels to carry heat from a furnace. By the 13th century, monasteries in Spain started using water to carry heat, in the same way that some of the modern heating systems do.

Chimneys

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Although the Romans had created industrial chimneys for their bakeries, true domestic chimneys and fireplaces were developed in the Middle Ages to allow people to cook indoors and heat their homes safely. These early chimneys were wider than modern chimneys to allow more heat to remain in the room, and had a cap to cover the chimney top in case of downdrafts. Though it’s worth noting that domestic chimneys became more common around the 12th–13th centuries in Europe.

Greek Fire

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Fire has long been used as a weapon during wars, especially to burn down fortresses and ships. However, fire can be easily countered with water or other fire-retardant materials.

In the 7th century, during the Muslim sieges of Constantinople, the Byzantines reportedly used an incendiary weapon developed by an architect named Callinicus. This formula produced a substance that could burn even on water, helping the Byzantines repel the enemy navy. Greek fire is considered a precursor to modern incendiary weapons, influencing the development of devices like the hand grenade.