Is forgetting words a sign of dementia?

Most of us know the feeling: the word is on the tip of your tongue, but it won’t come. When it starts to happen more often, it’s natural to wonder whether it means something more serious.

The reassuring news is that occasional word-finding difficulty is a normal part of life and of getting older. The Alzheimer’s Society lists it alongside forgetting the names of people you don’t know well and taking longer to process information as changes that are generally not early signs of dementia.

What is normal

• A word occasionally escapes you, but comes back later or you find another way to say it
• You forget the name of someone you’ve only met once or twice
• It happens more when you’re tired, stressed, anxious or distracted
• It doesn’t stop you managing work, conversations or everyday life

When it may be a concern

Word-finding problems are more likely to need looking into when they are frequent, are getting worse over several months, or come with other changes. Signs listed by the National Health Service (NHS) and the Alzheimer’s Society include:

• Regularly struggling to find everyday words, or calling objects “that thing”
• Using the wrong word, for example saying “shoe” when you mean “chair”
• Finding it hard to follow or join in a conversation
• Repeating questions or forgetting things you’ve recently been told
• Problems planning, concentrating or managing bills
• Getting confused about time or place, or changes in mood

Often it’s a partner, friend or relative who notices these changes first.

Other common causes of forgetting words

Dementia is only one possible reason. Others are common and often treatable:

• Stress, anxiety and depression
• Poor sleep
• Perimenopause and menopause, when losing words mid-sentence is a frequently reported symptom
• Some medicines, including those with anticholinergic effects
• Low vitamin B12 or folate, thyroid problems and other health conditions that GP blood tests can check for

Problems with words can also be an early feature of some less common types of dementia, especially in people under 65. This is one reason it’s worth getting persistent changes checked rather than waiting.

What to do if you’re worried

1. Keep a short diary for two or three weeks: when it happens, what you were doing and how you felt. This helps your GP.
2. Speak to your GP if it’s happening often or getting worse. Take someone who knows you well if you can.
3. Look after the basics: sleep, stress, activity and diet all affect how well your brain finds words.

If your GP tests come back normal but you still feel something isn’t right, a more detailed brain health assessment, such as our Cognoscopy, can look at a wider range of possible causes.