Is deja vu an early symptom of Alzheimer disease? If it is, what is the incidence?
550074
Deja vu is a normal experience that everybody gets. However frequent and intense Deja vu can occasionally be part of an Epileptic seizure from the Temporal lobe - but dont worry, everybody gets Deja vu.\n\nIt is not a feature of Alzheimers.
820661
Well, some of these medications can cause some memory impairment, concentration problems, etc.  However, if she has not been compliant on her meds, that could cause some of these symptoms.  Then again, she could have the symptoms of early alzheimer's.  It is best she get to a Dr. soon to be evaluated.
610847
Some people with Alzheimer's disease can remember things that happened _many_ years ago with great clarity, without being able to remember what they were doing an hour ago.\n\nSo in other words, being able to remember something that happened when you were younger does not necessarily mean anything.\n\nExcept the fact that you remember your grandpa.  I have a grandpa who died when I was real young, and I wish I could remember him. :(
5249
are you reffering to the french term "déjà vu"? If so, this means 'already seen'
564260
not Alzheimer's but it is a sign of other dementia, it can also be a sign of other problems but it is not assigned as an early warning of Alzheimer's. If you loved one is having problems get a medical opinion. bring in a list of all meds even over the counter and supplements. Basic diet and routine, when is they gait worse, sleep habits and so on.\nIf the basic doctor is of no help you may need to seek one that deals with geriatrics.\nhere is a  clip from a web article.\n"Abnormal gait is an early marker of vascular dementia, according to the results of a prospective study published in the Nov. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.\n\n"Because gait abnormalities are often present at the onset of non-Alzheimer's dementia, we hypothesized that they may precede and predict diagnosis," write Joe Verghese, MD, and colleagues from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y"\n\nunsteady gait can be due to many factors including loss of nerve, damage from previous falls, medication, etc. a full physical is in order.
461582
Its French.\nThe term déjà vu (French: "already seen", also called paramnesia) describes the experience of feeling that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously. The term was created by a French psychic researcher, Emile Boirac (1851–1917) in his book L'Avenir des sciences psychiques (The Future of Psychic Sciences), which expanded upon an essay he wrote while an undergraduate French concentrator at the University of Chicago. The experience of déjà vu is usually accompanied by a compelling sense of familiarity, and also a sense of "eerieness" or "strangeness" or "weirdness". The "previous" experience is most frequently attributed to a dream, although in some cases there is a firm sense that the experience "genuinely happened" in the past.\n\nThe experience of déjà vu seems to be very common; in formal studies 70% or more of the population report having experienced it at least once. References to the experience of déjà vu are also found in literature of the past, indicating it is not a new phenomenon. However, in laboratory settings, it is extremely difficult to invoke the déjà vu experience, making it a subject with few empirical studies.
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Alzheimer’s disease\nDefinition \nAlzheimer's disease (AD), one form of dementia, is a progressive, degenerative brain disease. It affects memory, thinking, and behavior. \n\nMemory impairment is a necessary feature for the diagnosis of this or any type of dementia. Change in one of the following areas must also be present: language, decision-making ability, judgment, attention, and other areas of mental function and personality. \n\nThe rate of progression is different for each person. If AD develops rapidly, it is likely to continue to progress rapidly. If it has been slow to progress, it will likely continue on a slow course. \n\nAlternative Names \nSenile dementia/Alzheimer's type (SDAT) \n\nCauses \nMore than 4 million Americans currently have AD. The older you get, the greater your risk of developing AD, although it is not a part of normal aging. Family history is another common risk factor. \n\nIn addition to age and family history, risk factors for AD may include: \n\nLongstanding high blood pressure \nHistory of head trauma \nHigh levels of homocysteine (a body chemical that contributes to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, depression, and possibly AD) \nFemale gender -- because women usually live longer than men, they are more likely to develop AD\nThere are two types of AD -- early onset and late onset. In early onset AD, symptoms first appear before age 60. Early onset AD is much less common, accounting for only 5-10% of cases. However, it tends to progress rapidly. \n\nThe cause of AD is not entirely known but is thought to include both genetic and environmental factors. A diagnosis of AD is made based on characteristic symptoms and by excluding other causes of dementia-.
759473
The next time you get deja vu, you know, at that moment you realize you've done this before - try to figure out what will happen next!  You can't!  But if, as most people think, you've lived the experience before, you should have no problem remembering what is to follow. Here's why you can never remember what will follow.  When we experience anything, our brain records it and stores it as a memory.  Then that memory is "filed" so that when we recall it, we can determine the sequence of the event, i.e. was this recent, or years ago?  When the brain "misfiles' a current event as being something in the past, it recognizes that event and we feel we've experienced it before.  But actually, our brain is comparing the current event to itself!  That's why we can never follow through with what happens next...because it hasn't happened yet!  And that, my friend is deja vu!
104162
Alzheimers is a gradual (usually over several years) deterioration of brain function. It appears to have some genetic component. From what we understand, which isn't as much as we would like, lightning or electric current in the vicinity of us is not a factor. The distribution of Alzheimers is not related to the distribution of electrical storms e.g. mountain ranges have more storms but no more Alzheimers. \n\nA direct hit by lightning could affect brain function in a survivor, but would not be classified as Alzheimers. So the answer is "No".
202338
Deja vu is caused by a delay in the sensory synapses in your brain. You see a visual image and it reaches your brain, but then a split second later it transmits to your brain agian. Your brain has already processed the first image, so when the second signal reaches your brain, it causes the eerie impression that you've seen some thing before.
537143
Memory lapse is known as Dementia in medical terms.Most common reason for Dementia in older people is because of a disease known as Alzheimer's disease.Another important cause is vascular dementia (stroke and related conditions).General medical conditions and Substance induced (Alcohol) problems are also some common causes.There are a long list of causes including Picks disease, Parkinson's disease, Vitamin B12 deficiencies,Hypothyroidism, Uraemia, heavy metal poisoning,electrolyte imbalance,.......
186747
Most cases of Alzheimer's disease become apparent after the age of 65.  A small percentage of cases can occur in genetically susceptible people at a much younger age.
891376
When I read this question, I had a sense of deja vu.  It made me think of...\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Am6CMdGr3FTvCNxURGaoOFAjzKIX?qid=20060728212041AADZ4b8\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ai6aFJAwi8relB9MhLM7ZPMjzKIX?qid=20060622160754AAjhOTD\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvMM2ZeLqiONlU_pbb56QC8jzKIX?qid=20060606205753AAE9oGw\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgsdPpmC_LrqZAAq8XpSui8jzKIX?qid=20060708071632AAXRvpH\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aoixt8.2k.YKqXWzXg8VRC0jzKIX?qid=20060806210940AA3FUPd\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApKSIw84QRajkYqIuGJBcLIjzKIX?qid=20060708161135AAukcSy\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApfJ73L2A.ZGKW0aA81B46MjzKIX?qid=1006041310903\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ate.tEOGFSlZZ6PxJ3T6kBUjzKIX?qid=20060623130859AAv3JCL\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgnELdiUGCWUIzyQ0QQcBhkjzKIX?qid=1006052642817\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ai.0cDKTsRYKXV9Zo_S.BnYjzKIX?qid=1006041515438\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsS2TBeJMgrKPxmf_nBEo70jzKIX?qid=1006032410144\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj5sEQZH4ePb1mYGlI8SISYjzKIX?qid=20060827073215AAaIlIZ\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ak8zV4jQzaT7.6V2mb10zccjzKIX?qid=20061011015751AAhGCZR\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ain_u3UtLAsufrUADgQ._D0jzKIX?qid=20060805093956AAPb7Su\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlBqs4TDYq.B0tDQ0mTx.3YjzKIX?qid=20060826115433AArXcJ1\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj2mv7S2qXctYa25VjDYGqsjzKIX?qid=20060828121035AAjUp8r\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuJqsFm9ZTWX.42YpKLlXPUjzKIX?qid=20061005080541AAzyFwN\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AneCcnDX33wTve9vnynZygYjzKIX?qid=20060728005221AAXGwFR\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ap5oaw1.neoX3nSy6NAHDjYjzKIX?qid=1006041604178\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoC3X164Mm.JgzRL293GJcEjzKIX?qid=1006041603855\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnRKm_w4VZ8gXjqMWYVWJgwjzKIX?qid=1006012619763\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Agrb8ghMe0DKh78q_MntpOcjzKIX?qid=1006051504012\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Apyia3Zzfeat3KPY_WvvHwQjzKIX?qid=20060815154610AAuh3dY\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtMNtwP2fStsACB1QDLArxMjzKIX?qid=1006021502262\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArL_.rQ.XDV0RBHRBCefbhUjzKIX?qid=1006030902075\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AikD_W8QleumSlESB5.42FsjzKIX?qid=20060721135103AALMVKt\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Avm4IAFS8gf_SGkU4kcf_AUjzKIX?qid=1006031105331\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ap5H7nkVJa_PmyYVvI89I0cjzKIX?qid=1006043002286\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ak95O7XV9cfjhCFbc.PhDyMjzKIX?qid=1006012709080\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnCX9hpyvfusGZJDjh7dS9EjzKIX?qid=20060809104109AAXqobz\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqNXWRAif94o_chxCd.Q..MjzKIX?qid=1006051624237\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmvZlOJK2B9MfVzpXsfaeRYjzKIX?qid=20060717175938AATWmWs\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiNpTgLKnqcbNHdLIPQTQMMjzKIX?qid=20060802184401AA25BP5\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqQipozBb7r5PW.5_J1hKdAjzKIX?qid=20060620080500AAxIh8t\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlXOoJilAi5nztVAGV4TIb4jzKIX?qid=1005122202458\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgP0uuMVfHwcS6rq45b0ANUjzKIX?qid=20060714013159AAKhK7y\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnnXlgQnFO6o8Ddf7YKJmgQjzKIX?qid=1006041928933\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoTuXb0X1C0MbfPVneE6ieojzKIX?qid=1006060313396\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmEUG042lTZZUBbA7u0vUUEjzKIX?qid=1006030217272\n\nhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=At
922221
Deja Vu. It is French for already seen. I don't believe in it myself. I have heard it explained as your mind mixing memories of real past events with elements of the new experience. I am not sure if I find that really believable either.\nhttp://people.howstuffworks.com/question657.htm\n\nIn this article they note the age point. This might be a normal event in a maturing brain. I would not let the mention of epilepsy scare you because people with no epilepsy get it too.
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Everyone's had it.\n\nI think it's like a delay of your mind between what you see and what your brain sees, making you feel you've seen that before.\n\nOr something like that.\n\nCheck this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deja_vu
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There's nothing of that sort.\nOver the years, many scientists ignored déjà vu completely due to its frequent association with past life experiences, ESP and alien abductions. These associations gave the study of déjà vu a bit of a stigma. Recently, researchers have set aside some of those associations and have begun putting brain imaging technology to work. Firmly placing déjà vu within the study of memory, they hope to discover more about how memories are formed, stored and retrieved.\n\nThey have since determined that the medial temporal lobe is involved in our conscious memory. Within the medial temporal lobe are the parahippocampal gyrus, the rhinal cortex and the amygdala. John D.E. Gabrieli at Stanford University found in 1997 that the hippocampus enables us to consciously recall events. He also found that the parahippocampal gyrus enables us to determine what's familiar and what isn't (and without actually retrieving a specific memory to do it). While about 60 percent of people say they have experienced déjà vu, the rates are highest among people between the ages of 15 and 25. The upper age varies among researchers, but most agree that déjà vu experiences decrease with age. There have also been higher reported occurrences among those with higher incomes, those who tend to travel more and those with higher education levels. Active imaginations and the ability to recall dreams has also been a commonality among people who report déjà vu experiences.\n\nSome researchers also report that the more tired or stressed you are, the more likely you are to experience déjà vu. Other researchers, however, have seen just the opposite. They report that the more refreshed and relaxed you are, the more likely you are to experience déjà vu. Obviously, the jury is still out about a lot of things related to déjà vu.\n\nOne reported finding is that the more open-minded or politically liberal a person is, the more likely they are to experience déjà vu. However, this may also mean that the more open-minded you are, the more likely you are to talk about something potentially seen as "weird," like déjà vu. \n\nLeading Theories\nWhen we're on a cell phone and driving, our attention is divided. Déjà vu may work the same way.\nDivided Attention (the cell phone theory)\nRecent research by Alan Brown has attempted to recreate a process that he thinks is similar to déjà vu. In studies at Duke University and SMU, he and colleague Elizabeth Marsh put the idea of subliminal suggestion to the test. They showed photographs of various locations to a group of students, with the plan to ask them which locations were familiar. Prior to showing them some of the photographs, however, they flashed the photos onto the screen at subliminal speeds -- around 10 to 20 milliseconds -- which is long enough for the brain to register the photo but not long enough for the student to be consciously aware of it. In these experiments, the images that had been shown subliminally were familiar at a much higher rate than those that were not -- even though those students who had actually been to those locations had been pulled from the study. Larry Jacoby and Kevin Whitehouse of Washington University did similar studies using lists of words with similar results using lists of words.\n\nBased on this idea, Alan Brown proposed what he calls the cell phone theory (or divided attention). This means that when we are distracted with something else, we subliminally take in what's around us but may not truly register it consciously. Then, when we are able to focus on what we are doing, those surroundings appear to already be familiar to us even when they shouldn't be.\n\nWith this in mind, it is reasonable to see how we might walk into a house for the first time, perhaps while talking to our host, and experience déjà vu. It would work like this: before we've actually looked at the room, our brains have processed it visual
1160031
The evidence is not clear. Cases where several members of a single family have had autopsy-confirmed diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease are rare. Much more common is the situation where a single family member is diagnosed as having probably Alzheimer's (meaning that physicians are 80 to 90 percent certain that it is Alzheimer's).\n\nA person's risk of developing the disease seems to be slightly higher if a first-degree relative (brother, sister, parent) has the disease. This situation is called "familial," which means there could be a genetic factor involved, or perhaps family members were exposed to something in the environment that caused the disease.\n\nAnybody can develop Alzheimer's disease. However, a person who has a parent or sibling with the disease carries a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than people who have no family history of the disease. Yet, it can also strike only one member of a family. Since many factors affect the development of the disease, having Alzheimer's disease in the family is a risk factor, but it doesn't mean you will develop the disease.