All about Dementia

What is dementia? The term is used to describe a collection of symptoms that usually interferes with the normal life functions of the affected individual. It is also used to describe the condition of a person who has two or more life functions impaired or lost such as language, memory, perception, and reasoning. Sufferers may also lose emotional and behavioural control, thus resulting to personality changes. Their problem solving abilities may also be reduced or completely lost.

The most common cause of this condition in people aged over 65 is Alzheimers Disease (AD), the cause of which is possibly related to neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques. With this disease, almost all of the brain functions are eventually affected, including behaviour, judgement, language, and movement. Vascular dementia is another type of this condition, and is caused by brain damage resulting from such problems as stroke or any other medical problem that inhibits vascular function. The symptoms are similar to AD, except for the fact that the personality and emotions of a sufferer are affected only in the latter stages of the disease.

Still another type of this condition is known as Lewy body dementia, which is a common and progressive disease where some cells in the cortex of your brain die and others contain abnormal structures known as Lewy bodies. The symptoms of this disease overlap with those of AD, but may also include a shuffling gait, hallucinations, and a flexed posture.

A lot of risk factors have been associated with dementia. These risk factors include advanced age, genetics, high cholesterol, diabetes, mild cognitive impairment, high plasma homocysteine levels, atherosclerosis, alcohol use, and smoking. The problem is that it is quite impossible to eliminate every single one of these risk factors. For one thing, you cannot avoid aging, which is the most significant risk factor in most cases. While some people develop the condition early in life, the risk significantly increases with age.

It is often difficult to diagnose the condition, especially in its early stages. When you consult your doctor regarding your symptoms, he will likely refer you to a specialist, who may recommend a series of assessments and tests. This can include having conversations with you and your loved ones, conducting a physical examination, memory tests, and brain scans. The most commonly used test for people complaining of memory problems is known as the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Take note that becoming forgetful does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from dementia. There can be plenty of causes of memory loss, and it can even be a symptom of stress or depression. Another challenge you may have to face is the fact that available treatments can neither reverse nor stop the progress of the condition. But, you can perhaps take some comfort in knowing that there are some treatment options and medications that may reduce your symptoms and slow down the progress of the disease.

If your condition is diabetes-related, then tight glucose control may be recommended. For other cases, mental stimulation exercises, cholesterol reduction, and the use of NSAIDs may be the recommended options. What you need to remember is that the first  thing you should do is consult your doctor as soon as you notice suspicious symptoms so you can be sure of whether you do have dementia or not and start finding the right treatment method for your condition.