The first few times you walk into a room only to stand there wondering what you are doing, it's funny. But those "senior moments," whether you're 40, 50, or 60, are not something to take lightly.
Researchers are starting to develop the tools to detect and diagnose 
The Alzheimers Association lists warning signs for Alzheimer's, including:
- Loss of memory for recently learned information
- Difficulty with familiar tasks
- Forgetting simple words
- Disorientation
- Poor financial judgment
- Problems with abstract thinking
- Putting things in odd places
- Mood swings and personality changes
- Passivity
According to the Harvard Mental Health Letter, a diagnosis of dementia is determined by changes in memory, mood, and behavior. Doctors use the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale that asks detailed questions regarding everyday behavior and thinking, including memory, orientation, problem solving, judgment, personal hygiene and habits, community activities and hobbies, and rates dementia on a five-point scale from none to severe.
Several simple screening tools use memory tests to evaluate patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, which is now regarded as the earliest phase of Alzheimer's disease. One, developed by the National Institute on Aging, is called the "Ten Word List." Patients are read a list of words and then asked to recall it after being distracted. This test is a strong indicator of future Alzheimers.
