Dementia
Dementia arises when the brain is damaged through loss or impairment of brain nerve cells, which can be caused by Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and other diseases.
Causes Of Dementia:
Dementia is caused by gradual damage or changes within the brain. It is the loss or impairment of brain nerve cells. According to scientific research these changes usually happen because of a build-up of what is known as abnormal proteins in the brain, which are different in each type of dementia. Dementia can also be caused by a stroke or other diseases, like Parkinson’s, or Huntington’s disease, which can also cause brain cells to degenerate.
Symptoms Of Dementia:
Dementia consists of a variety of symptoms, including: Memory Loss – Individuals’ short-term memory would be affected, such as forgetting where they have placed items or forgetting what they did the previous day; Communication issues – individuals may find it difficult to find words to describe things; Mood Changes – such as depression or possibly anger and Hallucinations (dependent on the type of dementia); Confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places; Difficulty planning or making decisions; Problems with speech and language; Problems moving around without assistance and difficulties performing self-care tasks like dressing or bathing; Personality changes, such as becoming aggressive, demanding and feeling suspicious of others; slowness of thought; problems with attention and concentration and mood or behavioural changes. Dementia can further deteriorate over a period of time; the speed of this progression can vary depending on the individual.
Frequenty Asked Question
There are many types of dementia and different diseases that may cause dementia but the three main types include the following: Alzheimer’s disease – This is the most common form of dementia. It is characterized by “plaques” which live between the dying cells in the brain and “tangles” which live within the cells, both of which are due to protein abnormalities. The brain tissues in a person with Alzheimer’s have progressively fewer nerve cells and connections and the loss of cells leads to the brain shrinking. The first sign of Alzheimer’s disease is usually minor memory problems. This could be forgetting about recent conversations or events or forgetting the names of places and objects. Vascular dementia is another form of dementia caused when the brain’s blood supply is interrupted. This can develop as a result of a narrowing or a blockage of the small blood vessels deep inside the brain and could also be caused by a single large stroke or small mini strokes, known as Transient Ischaemic Attack or TIAs.
There are a range of dementia tests and diagnostic procedures used to diagnose dementia. These include mental ability tests to evaluate short and long term memory, concentration and attention span, amongst other assessments. One of the most common mental tests is known as the mini mental state examination. There are also blood tests and finally brain scans too.
