Dementia warning signs to know after Pauline Quirke diagnosed with condition

Pauline Quirke, best known for her role as Sharon Theodopolopodous in Birds Of A Feather, has been diagnosed with dementia.

The 65-year-old, who starred in the original series and its revival between 2014 and 2017, is set to "step away from all commercial and professional duties" to spend more time with her family, her husband Steven Sheen confirmed.

In a statement shared by MailOnline, Pauline, recognised for her roles in Emmerdale, Broadchurch and The Sculptress, was revealed to have been diagnosed with the cruel disease in 2021. She is quitting all TV and film duties.

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"It is with a heavy heart that I announce my wife Pauline's decision to step back from all professional and commercial duties due to her diagnosis of dementia in 2021," Steve said.

"We kindly request privacy and understanding for Pauline and our family during this difficult period."

Dementia is a condition that affects the brain and can cause memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. The New York Times has highlighted five additional symptoms often missed in the initial stages.

The first is personality changes. A decline in agreeableness and outgoingness was pinpointed as a dementia-related symptom by Angelina Sutin, professor of behavioural sciences at Florida State University.

Sutin's study has highlighted social withdrawal or a shrinking social circle as early signs of dementia. These personality changes can be seen in everyday behaviours, often before cognitive decline sets in.

Difficulty driving is another early indicator of cognitive decline, according to neurology professor Ganesh Babulal of Washington University in St. Louis. This difficulty can manifest years before other symptoms and is due to the fact that driving requires the use of several cognitive systems.

Your sense of smell could also be affected years or even decades before other dementia symptoms appear. Loss of smell is one of the first signs of neurodegeneration in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease.

Drastic changes in sleep patterns, such as waking up during the night or not being able to stay awake during the day, can be early signs of dementia.

Alzheimer's disease first affects the brain regions that regulate sleep, such as the brainstem, leading to disturbances years before memory issues arise. Patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's can act out dreams with movements or screams due to REM sleep behaviour disorder.

Financial problems, too, are common and can have various causes. However, when they occur alongside other cognitive or behavioural changes, they may signal early dementia.

A sudden or unusual onset, like forgetting to pay bills, making impulsive purchases, or trusting unreliable individuals, might indicate disturbances in judgement and brain function. This is particularly evident in frontotemporal dementia, where judgement is impaired early on.

Language difficulties (speaking or understanding conversations), confusion (difficulty concentrating, planning, or organising), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things other don't), social challenges (difficulty interacting with others, or feeling insecure and anxious) and difficulty with daily tasks like shopping or cooking are also NHS signs.

There is no cure to dementia yet and no drugs to slow the progression, but early detection is key to managing and potentially halting symptom progression, insist UK's Alzheimer's Society.

Hilary Evans-Newton, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, expressed her sympathy for Pauline and praised the family's "brave" decision to make her diagnosis public "which will raise such vital awareness of the condition".

"We're so grateful that Pauline and Steve have pledged to support our work when the time is right," Hilary added. "We look forward to working with them to raise further awareness of dementia and funds for research."

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