Memory Loss vs. ‘Normal Ageing’: What’s the Difference?

Almost 1 million people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK¹. As people get older, it is common to become more forgetful, or to find it harder to retain information, but for 10% of adults over the age of 65,² it could be a sign of dementia. So, what is the difference between memory loss and ‘normal ageing’?

‘Normal ageing’

A decline in memory and cognitive skills is a natural process for ageing, starting as early as your 20s or 30s, but it’s not normally noticed until your 50s³. It includes things like misplacing keys or forgetting someone’s name temporarily, but remembering it later, taking longer to learn new things, finding it harder to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, or having a word “on the tip of your tongue” but taking time to recall it⁴.

These changes don’t significantly affect daily life or independence, however when they begin to disrupt daily life, for example getting lost in places you know well, difficulty driving or using the phone, or losing the ability to take care of yourself, they may signal something more serious.

Memory loss caused by dementia

Dementia is more than just occasional memory loss; it is caused by diseases that damage the brain and cause the malfunction and ultimate death of brain cells⁵. The most common of these conditions is Alzheimer’s, but there are also other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies⁶. These diseases affect memory and the ability to think and communicate.

Everyone with dementia experiences it differently, however there are some common signs:

• difficulty concentrating, planning, or organising
• problems with communication and the ability to follow a conversation
• confusion around time and place
• mood changes and difficulty controlling emotions⁷

When memory loss is coupled with these symptoms, it may be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Memory testing and Alzheimer’s clinical trials

Here at MAC Clinical Research, we provide free memory tests for over 50’s via our memory assessment clinics (MARCs), and we are looking for people who would like to take part in a clinical trial researching a potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). If you are aged 50-85 and have mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, you may be eligible to participate in an upcoming Alzheimer’s clinical trial.

You may be compensated for your time and commitment to dementia research at MAC, plus reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed or transport provided for you and a chaperone/carer.

To learn more or register yours or a loved one’s interest in Alzheimer’s research, please visit our Alzheimer’s research page.

1. Alzheimer’s Research UK – Statistics about dementia
2. Science Insights – Age-Related Memory Loss: What’s Normal vs. Concerning
3. Science Insights – When Does Memory Loss Start and What’s Normal?
4. All Seniors Foundation – Memory Loss vs. Normal Aging: 12 Early Signs Families Shouldn’t Ignore
5. Alzheimer’s Association – Alzheimer’s and Memory Loss Myths
6. Alzheimer’s Research UK – Types of Dementia
7. Alzheimer’s Society – What is Dementia? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments