Dementia is a general term that describes a group of symptoms relating to declining mental abilitieswhich can impact memorycommunicationand thinking skills. It is not a normal part of aging.
Symptoms of dementia varybut often include memory problemsdifficulty finding wordsconfusionand changes in mood or behavior. Symptoms of dementia tend to worsen over time.
While there is currently no cure for most types of dementiatreatment and life strategies can help manage the symptoms and maintain quality of life.
Dementia is a general term for symptoms affecting memorycommunicationand thinking. Although the likelihood of having dementia increases with ageit is not a normal part of aging.
changes in social awarenesssuch as making inappropriate jokes
obsessive tendencies
The symptoms tend to become more severe over time. The person may notice some symptoms themselvesbut their family members or caregivers may notice others.
The World Health Organization (WHO) divides dementia into roughly three stages: earlymiddleand late. The sections below will look at each of these in more detail.
Early stage
At this stageit may not seem that a person has dementia. They may:
become more forgetful
lose track of time
feel lost in familiar locations
Middle stage
At this stagethe symptoms become more noticeable and include:
forgetting names and recent events
feeling lost when at home
difficulty communicating
behavioral changes
repeatedly asking questions
needing help with personal care
Late stage
At this stagea person needs full-time assistanceas the impact of the symptoms typically becomes more severe. The person may:
be unaware of where they are
be unaware of time
have difficulty recognizing loved ones
find it hard to walk
experience behavioral changeswhich may include aggression
There are several types of dementia. They include but are not limited to the following.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementiaaccounting for 70–80% of cases. In Alzheimer’s disease“plaques” and “tangles” develop in and between the brain cells. Both are due to changes in proteins.
A person may have short-term memory problemsdifficulty finding words and making decisionsand difficulty seeing things in three dimensions.
Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia occurs when unusual structures known as Lewy bodies develop in the brain. These brain changes involve a protein called alpha-synuclein.
In the early stagesthere may be fluctuations in alertnesshallucinationsand difficulty judging distance. The impact on short-term memory may be less severe than it is with Alzheimer’s disease.
People with Parkinson’s disease may also have Lewy bodies. Although doctors often consider Parkinson’s disease a disorder of movementsymptoms of dementia can also appear.
Frontotemporal dementia
This condition involves damage to the front and sides of the brain. It happens when brain cells die due to clumps of protein developing inside them.
Depending on the part of the brain the condition affectsthe person may have difficulty with behaviorspeech and communicationor both.
Early symptoms may include difficulty focusingirritabilityand impulsivity. Depression may also be present. The person may have difficulty with organizingmultitaskingand planning. These symptoms may appear before movement changes develop.
Mixed dementia
When this happensa person has a diagnosis of two or three types together. For instancea person may have both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia at the same time.
Some types of dementiasuch as Alzheimer’s diseaseresult from the progressive death of brain cells and neurons. It develops and worsens over time.
Howeverdementia can also result from head injuriesstrokebrain tumorsand other causes. A strokefor examplecan stop blood and oxygen from reaching brain cellsresulting in damage and cell death. Receiving a blow to the head can damage brain cells directly.
Some types of traumatic brain injury — particularly if repetitivewhich can happen in some sports — may increase the risk of certain types of dementia later in life.
Some other factors and conditions with similar symptoms include:
It can help diagnose dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. It can also rate its severity and assess whether or not drug treatment is appropriate.
Mini-Cog test
The doctor may also carry out a test known as the Mini-Cog test. This involves the following steps:
The doctor will take three words from a specific set“bananasunrisechair,” and ask the person to repeat them. The person can have three attempts at this.
If the person cannot do thisthe doctor will ask them to draw a clock facefill in the numbersand set the hands to a specific time. The person should do this within 3 minutes.
If the individual cannot complete the clock task in timethe doctor will ask them to recall and repeat the three words from the first task.
There will be a maximum of 10 points. If the person scores fewer than 3–4 pointsthe doctor will consider dementia as a possible diagnosis.
Alzheimer’s and dementia resources
To discover more evidence-based information and resources for Alzheimer’s and dementiavisit our dedicated hub.
There is currently no cure for most types of dementiaas it is not yet possible to reverse brain cell death. Howevertreatment may help manage symptoms.
Some medications may help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Three drugsknown as cholinesterase inhibitorshave approval for use in the United States. They are:
In most casesit is not possible to prevent dementia. Howeverthe WHO suggests that the following habits may lower the risk:
exercising regularly
avoiding smoking
limiting alcohol consumption
maintaining a moderate weight
eating a healthy diet
seeking treatment for conditions such as high blood pressurehigh cholesterol levelsand high blood sugar levels
Wearing protective headgear during contact sports may also lower the risk of sustaining repeated head injurieswhich could be a risk factor for dementia.
Here are some frequently asked questions about dementia.
How does dementia usually start?
Dementia usually starts due to the progressive death of brain cells and neuronsthough it can also happen due to other causes such as a head injurybrain tumoror stroke. It usually starts with symptoms such as becoming more forgetfullosing track of timeand feeling lost even when in familiar locations.
At what age does dementia begin?
Dementia typically begins after the age of 65 years. Howeversymptoms can develop earlier. Dementia that begins before the age of 65 years is known as young onset dementia.
Dementia is a term that describes symptoms affecting rememberingthinkingand behavior. It is a part of Alzheimer’s disease and can occur with some movement disorderssuch as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
The symptoms usually worsen over timeand there is currently no cure. Some drugs may help manage the symptomsbut the person may eventually need full-time help.
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