Dementia is not a specific disease, it is actually a combination of certain symptoms that can be caused by certain diseases and leads to loss in brain functioning. Dementia affects ones thinking, memory, emotional control, and behavior as well. Dementia leads to serious impairment in a person, and it is generally seen in elderly people. However, dementia may affect an individual before the age of 65, which is known as early onset dementia. One who loses his or her memory does not surely indicate dementia. It is generally characterized by the presence of two or more brain function impairment such as speech, memory, perception, or cognitive skills, including judgment and reasoning.
Causes or Risk Factors:
Dementia usually occurs in elderly people who are over 60. The risk of developing dementia increases as a person gets older.
Alzheimer's Disease is the most common cause of dementia in elderly people over 65. It basically comes under the non-reversible or degenerative causes that mean the changes in the brain that are causing dementia cannot be stopped or reversed.
After Alzheimer's Disease, Vascular dementia is the most common cause of dementia. It is generally caused by strokes that lead to brain damage.
Lewy Body Dementia or LBD is the most common cause of progressive dementia. It generally occurs in elderly people due to the formation of the abnormal protein structures in certain areas of the brain.
Dementia can also be caused as a feature of other medical conditions or diseases such as :
--Parkinson's Disease
--Multiple Sclerosis
--Sarcoidosis
--Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
--Corticobasal Degeneration
--Pick's Disease
--HIV/AIDS associated infection
--Hutington's Disease
--Using certain medications
Symptoms:
Depending upon the etiology of the disease, the signs and symptoms of Dementia can be classified as reversible or irreversible. There will be a difficulty in functioning of brain that presents difficulties in following areas:
- Language problems
- Memory
- Emotional balance
- Personality or behavior
- Perception
- Cognitive skills including judgment, difficulty solving problems, etc.
As dementia is all about forgetfulness, some signs of early dementia are listed below:
- Misplacing things
- Forgetting the usual routes
- Difficulty in remembering the names of familiar things or people
- Losing interest in social activities
- Changes in personality or behavior
During the advanced stages, the patient may be disoriented in time, in place or in person. Even small things such as present day, date, name of the friends, paths, becomes difficult to remember.
Treatment:
The disease can be treated, to some extent, and this is due to the existence of causes that are progressive or incurable. The treatment generally refers to control the symptoms of dementia. The treatment is varied depending upon the severity of the disease. Hospital stay may be suggested in some cases. Some mental exercises are also recommended as they show improved effects in the patient condition. However, the final call depends on the condition of the patient.
Dementia is a critical disease that leads to loss in mental functioning affecting the overall body functions.
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