5 Cognitive Lapses That Are Pretty Common for Anyone

For many people, even mention of the word “Alzheimer’s” sends shivers down spines. This is particularly true for those with a family history of the condition and who have observed firsthand its unfortunate effects in their loved ones. My office has seen many people who burst into tears even when simply describing thinking problems that they’ve noticed in themselves. However, while I certainly feel empathetic, their fears are unjustified in many if not most of these instances.

In my last post, I highlighted some signs that I have found concerning for the presence of Alzheimer’s disease, based on my years of working closely with that condition. Today, I’d like to turn to signs that seem to make people anxious about potential Alzheimer’s, but are actually quite common. Here are my top five, based on the reports of many patients I have seen who turn out not to have Alzheimer’s disease:

1. Trouble remembering the reason for entering a room. You have undoubtedly done this before. This is a very common problem and it doesn’t mean that there are significant memory problems present. Yes, maybe the person can’t “remember” why they went into the kitchen, but the problem probably lies more in the attentional or executive domains rather than in memory. In other words, the real issue is most likely distractibility, rather than actually retaining information. This is not a clear sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Word-finding difficulty. Trouble retrieving words in conversation can be associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but it is far from specific to the condition. The most common problem that I hear about in my office – whether from people with dementia or people who are completely cognitively healthy – is word-finding difficulty. It can be frightening and embarrassing, and in rare instances when it is severe enough it can signal dementia, but in the vast majority of cases, it is relatively benign.
3. Forgetting people’s names. The only thing more embarrassing to people than word-finding difficulty seems to be a related issue: forgetting people’s names. It’s not surprising either; I’m embarrassed when I can’t remember someone’s name. But it happens. And it doesn’t mean that I’m developing Alzheimer’s disease. Names are hard! They’re abstract and often meaningless associations that our brains are expected to pull out of storage unexpectedly at a moments notice. I want to tell people to give their brains a break and allow for some lapses in that ability.
4. Forgetting to do something you were asked to do. Yes, this happens to everyone, and yes, it can be a sign of memory problems. But it is very often simply a sign of not paying attention, especially when it is your significant other doing the talking. Sometimes people ask for attention right at the moment you’re doing something else and you don’t fully absorb what they’re saying. It’s not necessarily a reason to fear dementia.
5. Missing a turn while driving. People with Alzheimer’s disease sometimes get lost while they’re driving, even in familiar places. It can be one of the first signs for some people that there is something not right with their thinking abilities. But missing a turn while driving or getting lost in unfamiliar places is hardly a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. This is particularly true if the driver is able to reorient themselves relatively quickly. The problem, again, most likely lies in attention rather than memory.

Of course, if you are concerned about a decline in thinking abilities, whether in yourself or in a loved one, please do not hesitate to seek help from a doctor. My point in this post is only to highlight common problems that should not cause a panicked response.

Please feel free to reply to this post and to let me know your thoughts!