Dementia is a catch-all term that refers to a decline in mental ability that often results in a decline of memory or thinking skills serious enough to impact daily life. Because the general cause of dementia is damage to brain cells and their ability to communicate with each other, a person with dementia may show altered abilities to communicate, think, exhibit feelings, or act in a way they did previously.
What Causes Dementia?
While commonly and mistakably assumed inevitable in old age, dementia results from a number of different conditions, some of which are common among older people. Dementia is not just temporary forgetfulness or confusion that might result from an illness or from medication. Common forms include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Vascular dementia
- Strokes
- Brain infections, such as meningitis or syphilis
- Brain injury
- Brain tumors
- Frontotemporal lobar dimension (FTLD) or Pick’s disease
- HIV
- Hydrocephalus
- Lewy Body Dimension
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Thyroid disease
- Drug toxicity
- Thiamine deficiency from alcoholism
Dementia And Old Age
While not a given among the elderly, the likelihood of developing dementia does increase with age. Because human beings lose brain cells after the age of 20, many people experience signs of age-related cognitive decline and may become forgetful or show other light cognitive impairments.
According to Medical News Today, dementia affects 47.5 million people worldwide, with one new case diagnosed every four seconds. By 2030, 75.6 million people are expected to be affected, and this figure is expected to rise to 135.5 million by 2050. Dementia contributes over $604 billion to the worldwide economy.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia followed by vascular dementia that occurs after strokes, about 10% of those over 65 have Alzheimer disease, while a third of those over 85 years of age have it. Alzheimer accounts for between 60 to 80% of dementia cases, while strokes are the second most common cause of vascular dementia.
Those with dementia exhibit two or more types of symptoms that affect their emotions or their behaviors in daily life.
Symptoms Of Dementia
Although there are many causes for dementia, the symptoms are common. They may include:
- Memory loss, as exhibited by asking the same question repeatedly
- Problems completing familiar tasks, such as by partially cooking a meal or forgetting to eat it
- Communication problems, often exhibited as forgetting simple words or using incorrect words
- Disorientation, as in the time and place
- Poor judgment, exhibited as more than a short-term forgetfulness
- Difficulties with abstract thinking
- Misplacing items
- Mood swings
- Personality changes
- Loss of initiative
Is Dementia Curable?
Since dementia results from damage to brain cells, many people never get back to their old selves; their dementia is permanent and progressively worse. For some people, dementia may lessen if the condition is tied to a treatable condition that is addressed, such as:
- Depression
- Side effects of medication
- Excessive use of alcohol
- Thyroid problems
- Vitamin deficiencies
Even though research is underway to find effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, there is currently no drug to reverse the damage. However, there are certain medicines known as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that can help slow down the progression of cognitive changes, along with many non-drug therapies.
Diagnosing Dementia
Since dementia can result from many conditions, having a medical professional do an examination and order lab tests is crucial to obtaining a proper diagnosis and determining treatment. While a primary care provider can often do initial testing, a neurologist or geropsychologist may do further testing and treatment.
If you find that you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms that may indicate that you have dementia, Raintree Medical and Chiropractic Center can help. Schedule an appointment today to take the first step toward determining your condition. For more information, call us at 816-623-3020.