Dementia

  • Dementia
    is a broad term for a range of conditions that involve loss of mental ability and so cause problems with memory, language, behaviour and emotions. Dementia is most common in the elderly. Around five percent of people over the age of 65 are affected to some extent.  According to Alzheimer’s Disease International with increasing life expectancy, this is expected to surge to 75.6 million in 2030. Disease awareness and understanding is a huge challenge  
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 31 July 2014

is a broad term for a range of conditions that involve loss of mental ability and so cause problems with memory, language, behaviour and emotions. Dementia is most common in the elderly. Around five percent of people over the age of 65 are affected to some extent. 

According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, in 2013, there were 44.4 million people with dementia. But with increasing life expectancy, this is expected to surge to 75.6 million in 2030. Some of the fastest growth in elderly population is taking place in China and India.

Dementia is caused by problems in the way the brain works. The brain is made of billions of brain cells or 'neurons’, through which electrical signals pass. Normally these cells signal to each other through narrow gaps (synapses) with the help of chemicals called 'neurotransmitters'.

Dementia is caused by neurons not working properly or dying. This often changes the levels of different neurotransmitters, which affect the functioning of the brain. Dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is different from the mild forgetfulness that can occur in the elderly.

Related reading:

Signs and Symptoms

Tests to assess Dementia

Types of Dementia and Complications 

Causes of Dementia and Risk Factors

Managing Dementia 

 

Community
Alzheimer's and Dementia
Condition
Dementia
Changed
Thu, 08/03/2017 - 11:05

Stories

  • Dementia Symptoms and Signs
    The most common symptoms of Dementia are: • Memory loss, especially of more recent events  • Hallucinations and delusions • Confusion • Balance problems • Loss of bladder or bowel control • Sleep disturbances, including insomnia and acting out dreams — physically moving limbs, sleep talking, screaming, hitting or even getting up and engaging in daytime activities. • Difficulty finding their way around, especially in new or unfamiliar surroundings  • Problems finding the correct words…
  • Dementia Causes and Risk factors
    What causes Dementia The most common cause is Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for up to 60% of all cases. Alzheimer's disease is caused by the destruction of certain brain cells leading to the loss of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, such as thyroid problems and vitamin B complex deficiencies. Dementia can also be caused by…
  • Understand How Dementia Is Affecting Your Loved One
    Swapna Kishore was a caregiver for her mother for many years. She has created many online resources for dementia caregivers in India, including an English website, Dementia Care Notes and its Hindi version Dementia Hindi. Here, she answers some questions by PatientsEngage.  Please tell us about your mother's early dementia symptoms and how her condition progressed. My mother's early symptoms included mild disorientation, memory problems, and repeating herself…
  • FDA approves tool for diagnosing dementia in a doctor’s office
    Cerebral Assessment Systems has received marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Cognivue, a cognitive-assessment tool that functions somewhat like a video game. A patient can perform the inexpensive and simple test while a time-strapped primary-care physician tends to other patients. The 10-minute, non­invasive examination can detect subtle lapses in the brain’s perceptual ability that may signal the early stages of mental decline caused by dementia. The…
  • Managing my mother: From frustration for all to peace in the house
    Mrs. Kalyani talks about her 85-year-old mother and what it took to keep everyone happy. My mother, Vijayalakshmi, is 85 years old and her behaviour can be like that of a young child. She has mobility problems. She needs to be monitored 24x7, mainly to protect her from falling and injuring herself. My mother needs to be taken to the bathroom every 1 ½ hours to 2 hours without fail. Otherwise she would wet the bed or go in the room. While eating she wants the TV on and she will be so engrossed…
  • What can you do to prevent dementia
    The longer we live, the more likely we are to develop dementia. And, it is the one that tends to terrify us most. Evidence suggests that changing your lifestyle can help to reduce your risk of dementia. What does the current evidence really tell us about prevention? 1. Watch your body mass index In general terms, it appears to be healthier to be neither underweight nor obese in middle age. 2. Take regular exercise The study found that regular exercise (30 minutes walking…
  • Dick Lee named Alzheimer's Disease Association's ambassador
    Dick Lee has been a caregiver for his father, who was diagnosed with dementia a year ago. SINGAPORE: Singer-songwriter Dick Lee was on Tuesday (Mar 17) named ambassador for Singapore’s Alzheimer’s Disease Association (ADA) for a year, as the association celebrates its 25th anniversary. "It has been difficult seeing my father struggle with symptoms of dementia," said Mr Lee. The most trying moment he faced was when his father "shut down overnight" after a mild stroke that left the senior Mr…
  • An Overnight Nursing Home for Dementia Patients
    Provides respite care for Alzheimer's patients who suffer from "sundowning". Many with Alzheimer's are at their most active after dark. A New York care facility has launched an after-hours camp-style program to entertain them until the morning—and help their caregivers get some sleep. For months, Ortiz would sleep during the day and be up much of the night wandering around the apartment. Her daughter was too afraid to sleep—afraid her mother might fall and hurt herself or even try to leave…
  • Sir Terry Pratchett, fantasy author, died eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
    Sir Terry Pratchett, 66, fantasy author, died eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He was the creator of Discworld series "Terry faced his Alzheimer's disease (an 'embuggerance', as he called it) publicly and bravely," said Mr Finlay. Knighted in 2009, he said: "It would appear to me that me getting up and saying 'I've got Alzheimer's', it did shake people." "The thing about Alzheimer's is there are few families that haven't been touched by the disease. People come up to…
  • State-of-the-art dementia treatment facility is a 1950s era village - Hogewey
    Hogewey is an amazing "village" on the outskirts of Amsterdam. It's a step back into the 1950s boasting pretty, manicured streets, a grocery, cafe, coffee shop, restaurant and even a beauty salon and barber shop. There are 152 residents in Hogewey, and all have something in common—dementia. Hogewey is a treatment facility for dementia and Alzheimer's patients. It is set in the 1950s because the dementia patient's long term memory is preserved much more vividly than short…