Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases.
Dementia
What Is Dementia ?
What are causes or types of Dementia ?
1. Progressive Dementias
- Alzheimer's disease
- Vascular dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Mixed dementia
- Huntington's disease
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- Parkinson's disease dementia
- Infections and immune disorders
- Metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Reactions to medications
- Subdural Hematomas
- Poisoning
- Brain tumors
- Anoxia
- Normal-pressure hydrocephalus
What are the symptoms of Dementia ?
- Memory loss, which is usually noticed by a spouse or someone else
- Difficulty communicating or finding words
- Difficulty reasoning or problem-solving
- Difficulty handling complex tasks
- Difficulty with planning and organizing
- Difficulty with coordination and motor functions
- Confusion and disorientation
- Psychological changes
How to evaluate a case of Dementia ?
- Cognitive and Neuropsychological test
- Neuroimaging- CT / MRI / PET Scan
- Laboratory Test- Vitamin B12, Thyroid function test
- CSF Analysis
What are the treatment options available ?
- Medications
- Non-pharmacological
What is Alzheimer Disease ?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away (degenerate) and dies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
The early signs of the disease may be forgetting recent events or conversations. As the disease progresses, a person with Alzheimer's disease will develop severe memory impairment and lose the ability to carry out everyday tasks.
Current Alzheimer's disease medications may temporarily improve symptoms or slow the rate of decline. These treatments can sometimes help people with Alzheimer's disease maximize function and maintain independence for a time. There is no treatment that cures Alzheimer's disease or alters the disease process in the brain.