A woman attributed her memory lapses to postpartum “mum brain” before being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 46 years old. Staci Marklin, now 47, from Knoxville, Tennessee, realized she had the condition a year ago, while her son Gunnar was just two. Initially, Staci thought her forgetfulness was due to pregnancy and postpartum experiences.
As time passed, her difficulty in recalling words worsened, leading to a diagnosis after a brain scan. Staci, a former hospice nurse, mentioned, “I had symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum with my son. I initially blamed it on pregnancy and postpartum ‘mum brain,’ like saying ‘move the carpet’ instead of ‘move the curtain.'”
Almost two years after giving birth, memory issues persisted, prompting Staci to consider Alzheimer’s due to her family history. Despite initially being told she had low chances of early-onset dementia, her symptoms intensified. Staci struggled with forgetting her son’s birthday and experiencing fear when faced with unfamiliar situations.
Her cognitive decline also affected her professional life, with instances of forgetting important details. After multiple tests, including MRIs and blood tests, she was eventually diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in October 2024 following an amyloid PET scan indicating plaques in her brain.
Staci’s cognitive function tested well below expectations for her age group, highlighting the severity of her condition. She expressed frustration at the disbelief surrounding her diagnosis, as Alzheimer’s is commonly associated with older individuals. Despite the challenges, Staci is preparing for the future by creating videos for her family and undergoing treatment with lecanemab to combat the disease’s progression.
The treatment, not widely available in the UK’s NHS, has shown promise in slowing cognitive decline. Staci remains hopeful of its effectiveness and is optimistic about creating lasting memories with her loved ones.
