Dementia
What is Dementia ?
Dementia describes a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities. The symptoms interfere with a person’s daily life. Dementia isn’t one specific disease. Several diseases can cause dementia.
Memory loss is one of the early symptoms of dementia. But having memory loss alone doesn’t mean you have dementia because memory loss can have different causes. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in older adults, but there are other causes. Depending on the cause, some dementia symptoms might be reversible.
Symptoms
- Memory loss
- Problems communicating or finding words
- Trouble with visual and spatial abilities
- Problems with reasoning or problem-solving
- Trouble performing complex tasks
- Trouble with planning and organizing
- Confusion and disorientation
- Personality changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Behavior that doesn't fit the situation
- Being suspicious, known as paranoia
- Hallucinations
Cause
Dementia is caused by damage to or loss of nerve cells and their connections in the brain. The symptoms depend on the area of the brain that’s affected. Dementia can affect people differently. Dementias are often grouped by what they have in common. They may be grouped by the protein or proteins deposited in the brain or by the part of the brain that’s affected. Also, some diseases have symptoms like those of dementia. And some medicines can cause a reaction that includes dementia symptoms. Not getting enough of certain vitamins or minerals can also cause dementia symptoms. When this occurs, dementia symptoms may improve with treatment.
Risk Factors
Many factors can eventually contribute to dementia. Some factors, such as age, can’t be changed, but you can address other factors to reduce your risk. Being aware of these risk factors can help you understand your dementia risk. Age. The risk of dementia rises as you age, especially after age 65. However, dementia isn’t a typical part of aging. Dementia can also occur in younger people. Family history. Having a family history of dementia puts you at greater risk of developing the condition. However, many people with a family history never develop symptoms, and many people without a family history do. There are tests to determine whether you have certain genetic changes that may increase your risk. Down syndrome. By middle age, many people with Down syndrome develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
When to see a Doctor
See a healthcare professional if you or a loved one has trouble with memory or has other dementia symptoms. It’s important to determine the cause. Some medical conditions that cause dementia symptoms can be treated.