Dementia is often diagnosed based on compromised memory abilities, but a team of experts from the University of Calgary believes there may be other signs that indicate the onset of the condition.

Dementia is often diagnosed based on compromised memory abilities, but a team of experts from the University of Calgary believes there may be other signs that indicate the onset of the condition. 
At the recent Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto, the researchers suggested early detection could come through assessing changes in mood and behavior. 
The New York Times is reporting that the team has created a checklist that helps diagnose what they call mild behavioral impairment, or M.B.I.
It includes questions regarding increased aggression levels, unrealistic views of personal power or wealth, decreased interest in favored activities, and decreasing politeness in social interactions. 
In order for those factors to be relevant to the diagnosis, they must persist for at least 6 months, reports the International Business Times.
One of the researchers involved in the study stresses that not all patients who experience such changes are destined for dementia, but notes the signs have proven common among those who ultimately end up with the condition.