The early warning sign of dementia you can spot in your voice – and 6 other signs you can hear

MEMORY loss and confusion are well known symptoms of dementia.

But there are many other more subtle signs of the mind-robbing disease – some of which affect the way we talk.

GettySlowing down normal speech may be important indicator of brain health changes[/caption]

As we get older, we may start to notice it takes us longer to find the right words during a heated debate.

But this isn’t necessarily a sign of dementia itself.

Instead, scientists from the University of Tornoto have found that the speed at which we talk is a more important indicator of brain health than finding words.

Their new study involved using artificial intelligence software to analyse language abilities of 125 health volunteers aged 18 to 90.

They found that word-finding abilities got worse naturally with age, but were not linked to cognitive decline, a precursor for dementia.

But talking slowly was associated with weaker brain functions, finding, published in Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, showed.

“Our results indicate that changes in general talking speed may reflect changes in the brain,” study co-author Dr Jed Meltzer said.

“This suggests that talking speed should be tested as part of standard cognitive assessments to help clinicians detect cognitive decline faster and help older adults support their brain health as they age,” Dr Jed explained.

More than 900,000 Brits have dementia, and this is set to rise beyond a million by 2025.

Alzheimer’s disease is by far the most common form, accounting for about 60 to 70 per cent of cases.

This number is expected to rise sharply in the coming years as people continue to live longer – as ageing is a major risk factor of the disease.

Like with many conditions, getting an early diagnosis is important as it gives people the best chance of managing the disease and alleviating symptoms.

Other symptoms you can spot in someones voice

Experts have discovered there are other symptoms of the disease which you can also spot in the way someone speaks.

This is because dementia can damage the parts of the brain that control language. 

How and when language problems develop will depend on the type of dementia they have and what stage it is at.

Some of these include:

Not being able to find the right words

Using a related word (for example, ‘book’ instead of ‘newspaper’)

Using substitutes for words (for example, ‘thing that you sit on’ instead of ‘chair’)

Not find any word at all

Not struggle to find words, but use words that have no meaning or that are jumbled up in the wrong order

Going back to the first language they learned as a child. For example, if they learn English as a second language, they may forget how to speak it. 

There is currently no cure or way of slowing the fatal disease, which robs sufferers of their memory, intelligence and physical strength.

In the past two years, two new drugs called lecanemab and donanemab have shown breakthrough success in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s

Experts say approval and NHS rollout is still in doubt because of fears about serious side effects.