Fwd: Blog post- dementia, is it expected as you age?
Phyllis Tawiah
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: phyllis <phy...@ichoosetolivetoday.com>
Date: January 5, 2014 at 3:47:45
Subject: Blog post- dementia, is it expected as you age?
Reply-To: phyllis <phy...@ichoosetolivetoday.com>
Dementia, is it expected as you age?
Is it difficult for you to remember names at times? Do you have a sense that it is becoming more difficult for you to learn new things? You probably might have concluded that it is because you are getting older.
As people age, they usually experience such memory changes as slowing in information processing, but these kinds of changes are minimal and do not affect how they carry out their daily activities. Dementia on the other hand is progressive and disabling and is not normal aging.
Dementia is a general term used to describe several medica problems that cause significant decline in two (2) or more areas of the brain responsible for memory and thought processing.
Continue reading www.ichoosetolivetoday.com/blog. leave comments or questions
Symptoms of Dementia
Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. This damage interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. The main cognitive (thinking or memory) functions usually affected in dementia are;
- Memory- Short term memory is usually lost first so you may wonder why a person with Dementia has difficulty remembering recent activities but can give details of issues that happened many years ago.
- Communication and language- Difficulty saying the word they are thinking about is very common. As the disease progresses, it becomes more difficult for them to communicate.
- Concentration- It becomes more difficult for them to focus and pay attention to what is going on or being said.
- Reasoning and judgment- Difficulty making a decision, or explaining some statements.
- Visual perception- Difficulty analyzing what they see.
Two (2) of these deficits have to be present before a diagnosis of dementia can be considered.
What causes Dementia?
- Alzheimer’s disease is the commonest cause of dementia. It accounts for about two thirds of the cases. It is a result of abnormal protein accumulation in the brain. The accumulation commonly affects the area controlling memory but as the disease progresses, its effect on other thinking areas becomes more prominent.
The main risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease are advancing age and family history. A special gene called Apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) which carries a high risk for Alzheimer’s disease, has been isolated.
- Vascular Dementia is the second most common cause of dementia. It accounts for about 15-20% of cases and usually coexists with Alzheimer’s dementia. It results from stroke, usually repeated small strokes which the person may not even be aware of. Risk factors for vascular dementia are hypertension, high cholesterol, heart conditions that throws clot to the brain, diabetes and obesity.
Other less common causes of dementia are Lewy Body dementia and the rest. All these causes damage the brain through different mechanisms.
Even though the symptoms of advanced dementia are similar for the different causes, the initial symptoms pattern, disease progression and targets of treatment vary. There are also reversible conditions that impair our ability to think. Memory problems caused by these conditions may improve when the condition is treated or addressed. It is therefore very important to seek medical evaluation once you notice that you, your parent or loved one does not seem to function the way he/she used to. You do not have to spend years wondering what is going on while the situation deteriorates. We will look at these reversible conditions as well as the different stages of dementia in the subsequent posts.
We will also discuss some factors that are protective against dementia. For now I will just recommend that you exercise your brain; read books and any material you can lay your hands on!
If a family member of yours has dementia, visit the Alzheimer’s association atwww.alz.org for more resources.