Dementia: What Is It?
One of the most feared diseases in the world today is
dementia. Watching someone you love or even experiencing a gradual loss of
memory sounds nothing but horrific. Today, many people have been touched by
this disease; whether it is a parent, a friend or even a spouse, in some way we
have all seen how dementia can take a toll. However, for a disease that is so
common, there are many burning questions about it still; what is it, what are
the causes and how is it diagnosed? If you are looking for some answers about
this disease, keep reading to learn more.
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Call Life Alert to get all your personal protection
questions answered. However, if you’re looking
for answers to your burning questions about dementia? Sixty and Me[1]
is here to help! Keep reading below to learn more.
~What Is Dementia?
Dementia is a loss of cognitive function that leads to a
decreased ability to perform day-to day-tasks. The first symptom people think
about is memory problems, particularly forming new memories and learning new
things. However, the earliest symptoms are often subtler, like apathy, loss of
interest in previously enjoyed activities or disinhibition. Language can be
affected with difficulty finding words or constructing sentences. There can
also be a loss in the ability to navigate space, like getting lost on a
previously familiar drive. Essentially, dementia can affect any of the brain’s
functions. Dementia is not the same as being occasionally forgetful, like
losing your keys – which we all do. It has to do with changes in cognition that
actually impact function. Coming back from the supermarket and realizing that
you have forgotten to buy an ingredient for your signature cookies is unlikely
to indicate dementia, but forgetting the steps and processes you follow to make
the cookies is more concerning.
~Which Diseases
Can Cause Dementia?
Dementia results from damage to the brain and can be caused
by multiple different diseases which all have slightly different symptom
profiles. These are some of the most common ones:
-Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease occurs when there is a build-up of
amyloid plaques outside the brain cells and when neurofibrillary tangles, or
twisted fibers occur in the brain cells. This is associated with significant
damage to brain cells and atrophy of parts of the brain, particularly the
hippocampus, which is critical for forming new memories.
-Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia occurs because of strokes caused by
blocked blood vessels in the brain, which lead to brain damage. These strokes
can be very small and unnoticeable at the time they occur, but they lead to
accumulated damage over many years. It commonly co-exists with Alzheimer’s
disease.
-Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy Body dementia is caused by the development of abnormal,
round structures that build up in the brain. Lewy Body dementia is often
associated with hallucinations, fluctuations in cognition and movement
difficulties similar to Parkinson’s disease.
-Others
Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia make up about 70%
of all cases of dementia. Some of the less common diseases which cause dementia
include:
--Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, a very rare, rapidly
progressive dementia caused by prions.
--Frontotemporal dementia, which affects the front and side
sections of the brain, leading to loss of language and changes in personality,
with memory often preserved until later in the disease course.
--Chronic traumatic encephalopathy occurs after repeated
head injuries. It is also known as boxer’s dementia.
~How Is Dementia
Diagnosed?
Dementia is a clinical diagnosis, meaning that it is
primarily based on history and examination. If you are concerned about your
memory, or the memory of someone you love, the first step is to see your
primary care physician. These symptoms can be caused by other conditions, like
depression, hypothyroidism or low vitamin B12 levels, so it is important to
rule these out. Your primary care physician may recommend a specialist who will
start by taking a detailed history. One of the key features of dementia is a
lack of awareness or insight into cognitive changes, so it is important that
someone who knows the person well also attends this consultation. Brain imaging
with MRI to look for any structural changes, such as atrophy or previous
strokes, can help to differentiate diagnoses. Brain imaging with positron
electron tomography can show if there are areas of the brain that may appear to
be structurally normal, but are not taking up glucose, which indicates that
they are not active. Some health centers are able to perform brain scans that
measure the presence of amyloid in the brain, although further studies are
needed before this can be used as part of routine care.
~What Is the
Prognosis for Someone with Dementia?
Most of the time, dementia is a progressive and fatal
disease, but diagnosis is not an immediate death sentence. People usually
survive for 7-10 years after diagnosed with dementia, and many people spend
most of these years living at home with their families. In the very late stages
of the disease, one loses the ability to swallow, so there is a very high risk
of developing pneumonia, which is often fatal.
~How Common Is
Dementia?
The good news is that although the absolute number of people
with dementia is rising as the population ages, the risk of dementia per head
of the population is actually decreasing: in 2000, 11.5% of people aged 65 and
older were diagnosed with dementia; in 2012 this had dropped to 8.8%. As more
people have the protection of a higher level of education and better control of
cardiovascular risk factors like smoking and hypertension, you are less likely
than previous generations to get dementia. Sadly, despite many decades of
research and multiple drug trials, we still do not have any treatments that can
alter the progression of dementia. However, many studies have shown that there
are lifestyle changes that can significantly decrease the risk of dementia.
Protecting our minds from demise may not be a completely
possible; good diet, exercise and healthy habits can help us to live longer,
but there is no guarantee of avoiding dangers like dementia. Hopefully the
answers above can provide clarity to help lessen our fear of this awful
disease. But, while our minds may not have a safety net, our bodies can. If you
are currently living independently without a form of personal protection, you
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Works Cited:
1.
Gregorevic, Kate. “5 COMMON QUESTIONS THAT A
GERIATRICIAN IS ASKED ABOUT DEMENTIA.” Sixty
and Me. 11 July 2018. < http://sixtyandme.com/5-common-questions-that-a-geriatrician-is-asked-about-dementia/>.
