Should YOU be worried about your memory?

Yesterday, a study revealed memory problems may signal the early stages of dementia.

Women who reported problems with their memory were 70 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia decades later.

The memory complaints were enough to be noticeable to the women - but not significant enough to show up on a standard test.

The University of California researchers said other factors such as education, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart disease had been taken into account during the study. 

Commenting on the research, which was published in the journal Neurology, the Alzheimer's Society said it could give a 'better insight' into identifying who will go on to develop the disease.

But when is forgetting a name a normal part of life, and when is it a sign of something more sinister? 

Here, experts reveal when to simply write yourself a post-it note, and when to seek medical help...

NORMAL MEMORY PROBLEMS 

Forgetting what you went upstairs for. 

Taking several minutes to recall where the car is parked. 

Forgetting to call a friend back while working from home with misbehaving children. 

Putting things down and being unable to find them soon after. 

Forgetting something trivial a friend mentioned the day before. 

Forgetting the name of someone you've just met. 

Briefly forgetting the word for something — the 'thingamabob' moment.

(dailymail.co.uk)