{"id":474222,"date":"2026-02-17T17:42:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/474222\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T17:42:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:42:09","slug":"the-no-1-unexpected-symptom-of-alzheimers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/474222\/","title":{"rendered":"The No. 1 Unexpected Symptom Of Alzheimer’s"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a> is a horrible disease that has uniquely devastating effects on the people who have it and their loved ones. <\/p>\n

Affecting roughly 72 million Americans<\/a> firsthand, common symptoms<\/a> include memory loss; struggling to plan, complete tasks or solve problems; feeling confused; experiencing new problems with speaking and writing; misplacing items; making poor judgment calls; social withdrawal; and more.<\/p>\n

While those symptoms are ones we often hear about, they aren\u2019t the only ones. There\u2019s a symptom that many caregivers aren\u2019t aware of and think is a result of \u201cbad\u201d caregiving<\/a>: agitation. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s critical to first appreciate that agitation is a symptom of brain changes caused by Alzheimer\u2019s disease, not poor caregiving,\u201d said Dr. Richard Stefanacci<\/a>, the medical director of Inspira LIFE, a senior living program. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe brain damage from Alzheimer\u2019s makes people prone to agitation regardless of how loving caregivers are,\u201d said Stefanacci, who also specializes in older populations and Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

According to information the Alliance of Aging Research sent to HuffPost, \u201cagitation\u201d in this sense can present itself in a variety of ways: pacing, trying to leave, angry outbursts, profanity, hitting, mood swings, throwing items and more. Caregivers<\/a> may blame themselves, AAR continued, thinking it\u2019s a result of their burnout, introducing a new routine or not being patient enough. <\/p>\n

Dr. Nikhil Palekar<\/a>, the director of the Stony Brook Center of Excellence for Alzheimer\u2019s Disease at Stony Brook Medicine, said there\u2019s a stigma when it comes to this specific symptom. <\/p>\n

\u201cCaregivers often feel they might be doing something wrong, which is causing their loved one with Alzheimer\u2019s to react in an uncooperative, hostile or agitated manner, without realizing that agitation in Alzheimer\u2019s is very common, with rates ranging from 56% in early stages to 68% in the moderate-severe stage of the disease,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

How Alzheimer\u2019s Can Cause Agitation Symptoms<\/p>\n

Like with other Alzheimer\u2019s symptoms, it all comes down to the brain. <\/p>\n

\u201cAlzheimer\u2019s disease is the result of brain damage to areas of the brain that control emotions, decision-making and behavioral responses,\u201d Stefanacci said. \u201cThis neurological damage explains why people with Alzheimer\u2019s may react strongly to situations that wouldn\u2019t have bothered them before the disease progressed to this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

More specifically, we\u2019re looking at neurotransmitters. \u201cAlzheimer\u2019s disease results in dysregulation and a decrease in three neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain \u2014 serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine<\/a> \u2014 resulting in symptoms of agitation,\u201d Palekar said. Keeping in mind that those neurotransmitters help with mood, motivation, energy, anxiety and more, this makes sense.<\/p>\n

We also have to consider environmental factors. For example, the holiday season \u2014 or other high-commotion events \u2014 can exacerbate agitation and its causes. <\/p>\n

\u201cLarge gatherings with unfamiliar faces, disrupted routines, unusual foods and changes to previously familiar environments can cause agitation in someone with Alzheimer\u2019s, especially [in] later stages of the disease,\u201d Stefanacci continued. \u201cMost critical is to make adjustments and accommodations to reduce the stress, such as maintaining routine<\/a> and familiarity.\u201d <\/p>\n

There Is Hope For Alzheimer\u2019s Agitation<\/p>\n

Whether you experience agitation from Alzheimer\u2019s or love someone who does, know that hope is not lost. Below, doctors share tips and other helpful information that can help you manage this symptom together:<\/p>\n

Create and maintain routines.<\/p>\n

Consistent daily schedules with meals, activities and bedtime are key, according to Stefanacci. When you do have to prepare your loved one for a change, he encourages doing it ahead of time if\/when you can and trying to maintain other routines.<\/p>\n

Avoid arguing when possible.<\/p>\n

If the person with Alzheimer\u2019s has a harmless belief, Stefanacci recommended not arguing with them about it. Rather, he said to focus on the emotion behind what they\u2019re saying and remember that you can\u2019t reason with an Alzheimer\u2019s-damaged brain.<\/p>\n

Use calming approaches.<\/p>\n

While difficult at times, staying calm and helping the person with Alzheimer\u2019s stay calm is important. Speak in a calm, reassuring voice, play familiar music they enjoy and reduce confusing noise, Stefanacci said.<\/p>\n

Know that there are helpful treatments available.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to feel hopeless when someone has Alzheimer\u2019s, and to think that small interventions won\u2019t make a difference. That\u2019s understandable \u2014 and thankfully not true.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis symptom can be effectively treated with behavioral interventions as well as medication, which is FDA-approved for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d Palekar said. <\/p>\n

To get to that point, he recommended discussing any agitation-like symptoms with the patient\u2019s medical provider.<\/p>\n

Similar to the tips above, Palekar listed some specific, non-pharmacological interventions that can decrease agitation, too:<\/p>\n

Maintaining a daily routine and structure<\/p>\n

Reducing noise and clutter<\/p>\n

Gentle touching<\/p>\n

Soothing music<\/p>\n

Reading<\/p>\n

Walking (ideally outside in the sunlight)<\/p>\n

Staying busy with distractions, like snacks, objects or fun activities <\/p>\n

Avoiding stimulants, such as caffeine, late in the day.<\/p>\n

Take care of yourself as a caregiver.<\/p>\n

Being a caregiver is hard work, to understate it. Stefanacci urges these individuals to seek support from other caregivers, support groups and counseling. He also mentioned giving yourself permission to simplify or skip holiday traditions<\/a> that are simply too overwhelming. <\/p>\n

In short, it\u2019s \u201cnormal\u201d for someone with Alzheimer\u2019s to show agitation \u2014 and that\u2019s on Alzheimer\u2019s, not anything the caregiver has done. As someone with Alzheimer\u2019s or their loved one, know that you are not alone, and that people are available and want to support you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Alzheimer\u2019s is a horrible disease that has uniquely devastating effects on the people who have it and their…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474223,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[42938,3615,1103,97],"class_list":["post-474222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-alzheimer","tag-brain","tag-dementia","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=474222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=474222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=474222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}