Here are five other common red flags to look out for.

Running red lights. Falling for scams. Shutting out friends.

Memory loss is the most well-known symptom of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. But experts say there are other warning signs that can signal early brain changes — ones that are especially important for types of dementia where forgetfulness is not the primary symptom.

1. Financial Problems

People with dementia can experience money problems or declining credit scores years before memory loss, or other cognitive symptoms, emerge.

2. Sleep Issues

Sleep disorders can become more common as people age, and older adults tend to sleep more lightly and go to bed and wake up a little earlier than they used to — that is completely normal. But if there are dramatic changes in someone’s sleep habits, where they are starting their morning at 3 a.m. or are unable to stay awake during the day, it can be a sign of dementia.

3. Personality Changes

In a study published last year, researchers found that people with dementia experienced slight drops in extroversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness before they showed any signs of cognitive impairment.

4. Driving Difficulties

Along with handling finances, driving is one of the most complex cognitive behaviors people perform every day. Ganesh Babulal, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, has demonstrated in his research that problems behind the wheel can manifest years before they do elsewhere.

5. Loss of Smell

Parts of the brain that control smell, known as the olfactory system, are among some of the first areas damaged in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies; this is also the case for Parkinson’s disease. Many people with these conditions begin to lose their sense of smell years, or even decades, before other symptoms appear.