Dementia is a mental disorder in which a person's memory, thinking ability, and behavior are gradually affected. It is not a single disease, but a group of symptoms that can arise due to various brain disorders.
The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, with Alzheimer's disease alone accounting for about 60–70% of all dementia cases. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.
Symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion, decreased ability to recognize people or objects, speech problems, difficulty making decisions, and personality changes. Initially, these symptoms may be minor, but over time, they become more severe and start affecting a person's everyday life.
There is no complete cure for dementia, but some medications and therapies can help control its symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment can slow down the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life. The help and support of family and caregivers also play an important role, as the patient faces many challenges in daily life.
Types of dementia:
Dementia is not a disease in itself but a symptom that can be caused by many types of diseases, the main ones of which are:
1. Alzheimer's disease
2. Vascular dementia
3. Lewy body dementia
4. Frontotemporal dementia
5. Mixed dementia
6. Dementia related to Parkinson's disease
7. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
8. Huntington disease
9. Normal pressure hydrocephalus
10. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
Symptoms of dementia:
When a person gets dementia, his daily lifestyle starts getting affected, and we start seeing its initial symptoms, which are mild, but with time, the intensity of these symptoms increases, such as:
1. Weakening of memory
2. Being in confusion and confusion
3. A decrease in the ability to recognize people and objects
4. Problems in speaking and recognizing language
5. Feeling difficulty in taking decisions
6. Change in personality
7. Difficulty performing daily activities
8. Lack of understanding of time and place
9. Lack of interest in social activities
10. Mood swings and changes in behavior.
Stages of dementia:
The stages of dementia can generally be divided into three main categories: early stage, middle stage, and late stage.
Early stage:
- mild loss of memory, which leads to forgetting recent events and names.
- slight problems in recognizing time and place.
- difficulty in speaking a language, which leads to difficulty in finding the right words.
- changes in behavior, irritability, or depression.
Middle stage:
- Obvious decline in memory, which leads to forgetting important events and the names of familiar people.
- difficulty in recognizing time and place, such as forgetting the way home.
- difficulty in communicating.
- unusual irritability and aggression.
- difficulty in daily tasks, due to which the person needs help with personal care and household chores.
Late stage:
- severe loss of memory, which leads to difficulty recognizing family members.
- unable to recognize any time or place.
- inability to speak and understand.
- serious changes in behavior and extreme aggression or passivity.
- Complete care and assistance are required in all daily activities.
- According to these stages, dementia gradually progresses and affects the quality of life of the person. Its symptoms can be reduced with timely treatment.
Types of dementia:
There are many types of dementia, which can occur due to different causes in the brain. Here are the 10 major types:
1. Alzheimer's disease:
This is the most common type of dementia and is mostly found in elderly people. It is caused by the formation of beta-ammonoid protein residues in the brain due to the degeneration of nerve cells.
2. Vascular dementia:
It occurs due to blood circulation problems that affect the peripheral arteries of the brain.
3. Leucoporeal dementia:
It is caused by the accumulation of excessive fibers in the leucoporeal body and brain.
4. Frontotemporal dementia:
It causes degeneration of a particular area of the brain, which affects a person's emotional control and personality.
5. Parkinson's disease:
It causes fatigue, lack of mobility, and emotional changes, which over time can manifest as dementia.
6. Leucoporeal dementia:
It can cause excessive dreaming, hallucinations, and changes in behavior.
7. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease:
This is a type of dementia that presents with dementia along with hiccups and other symptoms.
8. Huntington's disease:
This involves the degeneration of neurons in the brain, affecting the physical and mental state of the person.
9. Progressive supranuclear palsy:
This involves loss of mobility, speech, and memory.
10. Cretin disease:
This involves loss of mobility, inattentive behavior, and physical symptoms.
These are some of the major types of dementia, although there may be many more subtypes depending on various causes.
Causes of dementia:
Dementia can occur for many reasons, with different factors contributing to different types of dementia. Here are some of the major causes:
- Alzheimer's disease: caused by the deposition of beta-ammonoid protein in the brain, which leads to the loss of neuron cells.
- Vascular dementia: problems in the blood vessels lead to hampered blood circulation in the brain.
- Leuid body dementia: In this, abnormal proteins called leuid bodies accumulate in the brain, which affects attention and movements.
- Frontotemporal dementia: In this, the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain deteriorate, leading to a decrease in behavior, thinking ability, and changes in personal behavior.
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: caused by abnormal proteins called prions, which cause brain degeneration.
- Huntington's disease: caused by the degeneration of neurons in the brain, which leads to decreased brain capacity and tremors or spasticity.
- Progressive supranuclear palsy: causes dementia-like symptoms in certain brain areas.
- Traumatic brain injury: A severe brain injury can cause dementia-like symptoms.
- Drug exposure: Incorrect or excessive use of certain drugs can also cause dementia-like symptoms.
Tests for dementia:
There can be many types of dementia tests, but a common technique used by doctors is the 'Mini-Mental Test'. This test is for mental status and evaluates the memory, attention, and effort capacity of a person based on their answers to various questions.
Some other common dementia tests are the Cox and Hoble Dementia Screening Test (Cognistat), Memory and Cognitive Testing (MOCA), and the Battery of Neuropsychological Tests.
1. Mini-Mental Test (MMSE):
- This is a major mental status test that evaluates memory, attention, and effort capacity.
- It consists of 30 point questions, which can be for numbers, words, and other areas.
- Each question is scored according to ability, which allows a statistic to be observed.
- The total calculation of this test consists of 30 points, which helps in evaluating the severity of the mental condition.
2. Cox and Hobble Dementia Screening Test (Cognistat):
- This test evaluates a person's effort, attention, memory, language, and abilities.
- It asks questions in different areas and marks are given based on their answers.
3. Memory and Cognitive Testing (MOCA):
- It contains questions on memory, attention, language, skills, activity, and other areas, and marks are given based on the answers.
Treatment of dementia:
The treatment of dementia depends on its cause, symptoms, and the condition of the person. Some of the main treatments are as follows -
Till now, there is no cure for most of the types of dementia because there is no technology available to reverse the death of brain cells or revive them. But with some medical help or medicines, we can reduce the symptoms of dementia.
- Medicines are used in the treatment of dementia, which reduce and prevent the symptoms. Some of the main drugs include: Donepezil, Rivastigmine, Galantamine, Memantine. These include cholinesterase inhibitors and antihistamines.
- Mental and physical activity, such as planning to solve problems and improving mental balance, may help.
- A dementia patient is given various activities to improve memory through cognitive stimulation.
- A healthy diet and nutrition can also help improve mental health.
- How does dementia start?
The initial stage of dementia is called cognitive decline, which is a decline in brain function. This decline is gradual and results in a decrease in a person's memory, thinking ability, and decision-making ability. Its initial symptoms can be forgetting about time or place, difficulty understanding language, difficulty performing tasks properly, etc.
2. At what age does dementia occur?
Dementia is often seen in older people, but it can occur at any age. Generally, symptoms of dementia begin after the age of 65, but in some people, they can appear earlier.
