Jeon Won-ju expresses health concerns after dementia testing shows warning signs

Actress Jeon Won-ju revealed she underwent dementia testing following rapid memory loss, showing signs of declining spatial and temporal perception such as incorrectly stating the current year is 2013.

Actress Jeon Won-ju has expressed concerns regarding her health, revealing that she recently underwent dementia testing due to a rapid decline in her memory.

According to a video released by TV CHOSUN JOY, Jeon shared updates on her recovery following recent hip replacement surgery, alongside her confession regarding worsening memory issues. She described difficulties in her daily life, such as being misunderstood because she fails to recognize people immediately or facing embarrassing situations after forgetting she was treated to a meal.

Dementia test reveals signs of declining spatial and temporal perception

Jeon underwent dementia-related testing to determine her exact condition. While she scored highly on a test requiring her to remember three words (train, apple, ginkgo tree), she showed confusion in temporal perception by stating the current year is 2013. Furthermore, in a test of visuospatial cognitive ability involving drawing shapes, she produced results that could be seen as early warning signs, such as lines failing to connect.

While waiting for her test results, Jeon shared her feelings, stating, "As I age, I am increasingly worried because I am becoming forgetful more often," adding, "I am afraid of becoming a burden to my children." In response, the cast members emphasized that while many people delay testing because they feel ashamed of dementia, early testing is most important because Alzheimer's, a major cause of dementia, progresses slowly over 15 to 20 years before diagnosis.

The decisive difference between forgetfulness and dementia

The video identified six major warning signs of dementia: decline in memory, decline in language ability, decline in visuospatial ability, changes in the taste of food, decline in the ability to perform daily tasks, and lethargy or depression. Reflecting on her own condition, Jeon mentioned that these symptoms are appearing.

The video further explained the criteria for distinguishing forgetfulness from dementia. Using the example of a schedule from the previous weekend, if a person makes an effort to remember or can recall it after some time through a stimulus, it is classified as "forgetfulness." If a person can only remember after being given a hint, it is considered the stage of "mild cognitive impairment," and if a person cannot remember at all regardless of any hints, it leads to "dementia."

Experts added that to prevent dementia, the most essential role for family and neighbors is to carefully observe the condition of the elderly and help them undergo testing early.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)