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He just has this look on his face all the time.

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I have read that AI with facial recognition can now detect very early stage dementia by facial expression.
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Reply to tinat1956
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My father has a blank stare a lot if the time. I’ve also noticed he has rigidity in his neck. He cant bend it. Is that part of dementia or is it arthritis?
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Reply to Hothouseflower
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My wife's face changes back and forth. When she's in a psychotic episode her face gets real long and thin, and her eyes get real wide. When I see that face, I know she won't remember whatever it is she's saying or doing.
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Reply to jwellsy
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The "flat affect" is a negative symptom of dementia.
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Reply to LakeErie
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Rockysmom: Consult his neurologist.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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The brain is dying and the brain controls everything. Emotions, muscles, speech, thinking, etc. it all will eventually be lost.
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Reply to RetiredBrain
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Yes, there is often a rather "blank" or non-reactive look, a sort of vacancy in the face of someone with advanced dementia. There is sometimes a rather fixed staring in a particular direction that seems a bit purposeless, and sometimes an inability to hold eye contact and concentration. This is all quite common to the disorder.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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There is a flat affect that seems to be typical of dementia.
The emotions, joy, sadness seem to be gone.
Empathy is missing.
My Husband would hold my hand but to try to get a hug was impossible.
He would kiss me when I left to go shopping and give me a kiss when I returned but there was no emotion that went with the kiss.
But holding hands and kissing when we left and returned was always a constant in our lives so I think he did it because it had always been done. I don't think there was emotion that went with the act, he probably did it because it felt natural. (Or maybe...just maybe there was something in there that told him this felt good)
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Reply to Grandma1954
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DMcD55 Oct 9, 2025
This is a beautiful thought and my wish for you. Maybe, just maybe…
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My dad’s facial expressions changed with dementia. Earlier on, his facial expressions became less natural looking— more mask-like. Or it was like part of his face was grimacing while he tried to smile.

Then his face gradually shifted to slack and expressionless all the time. Lower jaw hanging slack, flat stare, even eyelids seemed slack.

He also was chewing differently and had swallowing difficulties.
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Reply to Suzy23
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Yes, we had the flat affect.
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Reply to brandee
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My dad's face changed also. He was no longer able to close his mouth, and he was gaunt, and stared off. His eyes looked glassy. This was about 3-4 weeks before he passed. He just lost the ability to control the muscles in his face.

I'm sorry you are seeing this in your husband. The more I read about it, it is a symptom of dementia.
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Reply to DaughterofAD3
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Its called a flat affect and yes its common in people with Dementia. My Mom had a blank look at times like she was staring off and did not even see you.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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My husband has Alzheimer’s. His facial expressions have changed. His face is more slack. He smiles less. I think it’s part of the disease.
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Reply to Quitecontrary
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Some Parkinson's patients develop a characteristic blank expressionless look. Is that what he has?
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Reply to Fawnby
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