Alzheimer specialist admits she missed early signs in her own father, urging earlier detection

A neurologist at the University of California, San Diego writes about her personal experience when her father began showing subtle cognitive changes that were missed.

She recounts small mistakes and a moment when he failed to recognize the family dog, a sign that made her realize the disease was already progressing.

Despite his high cognitive reserve and a normal screening test, the primary care physician had no tools to act on her mother’s concerns, highlighting a gap in the current medical system.

The author stresses that Alzheimer’s is a decades‑long biological process that can start in midlife, and calls for earlier detection methods and better support for families.