Key Messages from the Introduction

Dementia is not reversible, so early detection and prevention are critical.

Everyone has minor brain imbalances, but what matters is the rate of degeneration.

Dementia is a result of neural degeneration, akin to a dimming light bulb — the brain simply loses its brightness and clarity over time.

The rate of decline in brain function is far more important than the fact that decline happens.

The good news: Lifestyle has a huge influence over this decline and can delay or even prevent the onset of dementia.

Silent Warning Signs of Dementia (1–3 revealed so far)

1. Changes in Special Senses

Smell: Difficulty identifying scents or noticing duller smells.

Taste: Food may start to seem bland (due to smell loss).

Vision: Not necessarily blurry, but problems with depth perception, peripheral vision, or interpreting what you see.

Hearing: Sounds may be heard but not understood; trouble locating where sounds come from.

Touch: Diminished ability to feel pain, pressure, fine textures, or temperature.

2. Decline in Motor Function

Posture changes, like stooping or hands turning inward.

Walking gait: Shorter steps, shuffling, or uneven arm swing (asymmetry = brain hemisphere weakness).

Balance and coordination: Increased clumsiness, falls, or difficulty with tasks like catching a ball or buttoning a shirt.

Facial changes: Drooping on one side, less expression, or uneven smiles.

3. Changes in Handwriting

Becoming sloppier, less controlled, or more shaky in recent years — a red flag if it’s a new development.