Evidence suggests that the first symptom of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease might not be memory loss. While memory loss is definitely a warning sign, research has shown that other issues may be more telling early on. “Researchers…outlined a syndrome called ‘mild behavioral impairment’ that may be a harbinger of Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and proposed a checklist of symptoms to alert doctors and families, including: losing interest in favorite activities, getting unusually anxious, aggressive or suspicious, and suddenly making crude comments in public. ‘Historically, these symptoms have been written off as a psychiatric issue, or as just part of aging,’ said Dr. Zahinoor Ismail of the University of Calgary, who presented the checklist at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto.” Other symptoms included anxiety about routine, increased apathy, and loss of impulse control.