Last Updated on March 25, 2022 by Shabnam Sengupta
Claude Shannon showed the first noticeable signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the early 1980s. The immediate friends and family of Claude Shannon noticed that he struggled to answer familiar questions. In the initial stage, he had a brief lapse in memory. People close to Claude Shannon thought nothing of it. Even when Claude Shannon was facing these kinds of setbacks, people around him did not notice anything wrong as he continued his amazing work. People considered his symptoms as just early signs of ageing.
In 1983, Claude Shannon was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. His family was deliberate about the travel invitations for Claude Shannon. They were not hesitant to reject most of the invitations.
Claude Shannon lost his cognitive ability very quickly. He remembered his life and achievements in phases. Although he was aware of his mental condition, he never showed signs of aggression and anger till the end. Claude Shannon remained a tinkerer throughout his life and even with Alzheimer’s disease.
After the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, Claude Shannon would take things apart and figure out how they worked. Besides this, he would walk around to see places and tap his fingers to music.
He remained interested in juggling while spending his final years in a care centre. He would be found asking questions on juggling to the nurses. The case of Claude Shannon is a great example that explains Alzheimer’s disease affects memory but not intelligence.
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