About people with dementia

Dementia is a syndrome associated with decreased ability of brain function, such as memory loss, decreased ability to think, understand something, do considerations, and understand the language, and decreased mental intelligence. This syndrome generally attacks elderly people over 65 years old.

Dementia sufferers will generally experience depression, mood swings and behavior, difficulty socializing, to hallucinating. Patients are not able to live independently and need the support of others.

Keep in mind that not everyone who has decreased memory or decreased brain function ability can be associated with dementia. Check with your doctor to find out exactly what the condition is.

Dementia can not be cured, but early treatment can help relieve and slow the progression of symptoms, as well as avoid further complications.

Causes of Dementia

Dementia is caused by damage to the brain's nerve cells in certain parts, thereby decreasing the ability to communicate with other body nerves, and result in the emergence of symptoms in accordance with the area of the brain that is damaged.

There are various conditions in the case of dementia. There is a type of dementia that progresses progressively, and there are also other conditions that resemble demesia that occur because of certain reactions and can be suppressed.

Progressive Dementia

Progressive dementia is a condition caused by damage to certain brain cell nerves and may worsen over time. This condition is generally not completely recoverable. Some types of progressive dementia include:

Alzheimer's disease. It is the most common cause of dementia. The cause is still unknown, but some genetic disorders may increase the risk of this disease. In the brain is found plaque in the form of beta-amyloid protein clumping, also braided fibrous tissue formed by protein tau

Vascular dementia. Disorders of the brain's blood vessels are the second leading cause of dementia. This condition can also cause strokes and other diseases related to blood vessel disorders. 

 Lewy body dementia. Lewy body is a clot of abnormal proteins in the brain, which can also be found in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Frontotemporal dementia. A group of diseases characterized by frontal and temporal brain cell degeneration, which is commonly associated with behavior, personality, and language skills. 

Mixed dementia. Generally experienced by elderly people over 80 years without any obvious cause. Typically mixed dementia includes Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia. 

Conditions that resemble dementia

There are other conditions that can cause dementia or cause symptoms that resemble dementia. Most of these conditions cause symptoms that are temporary and can be recovered after treatment. But some conditions cause persistent symptoms, such as Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Parkinson's disease and brain injury.

Other conditions that may cause temporary dementia-like symptoms and may be recovered by treatment are:

Metabolic or endrochemical abnormalities. Conditions such as thyroid gland disorders, hypoglycemia, deficiency or excess sodium or calcium levels, to the inability of the body to absorb vitamin B12 can trigger symptoms resembling dementia or behavioral changes.

Abnormalities of the immune system. This condition can lead to fever or other side effects that can reduce the ability of the immune system against infection. Conditions such as multiple sclerosis can also trigger dementia.

Medical reactions. Some interactions between drugs or vitamins can trigger dementia.

Lack of nutrients. Conditions such as dehydration, vitamin deficiency (especially B1, B6, and B12) or alcohol dependence, can cause symptoms resembling dementia. 

Poisoning. Fueled by exposure to lead, heavy metals, pesticides, drugs and alcohol.

Subdural hematoma. The accumulation of blood in the space between the durameter layer and the arachnoid layer in the cranial cavity, caused by head injury or trauma.

Anoxia (hypoxia). This condition occurs when the tissues in the body do not get enough oxygen intake, as in people with asthma, heart attacks, carbon monoxide and other gas poisoning.

Normal-pressure hydrocephalus. Caused by dilation of the ventricles in the brain, resulting in difficulty walking, urinating to memory loss.

Brain tumor. Rarely, but it can be one of the triggers of dementia. 

As for some other conditions that can trigger the dementia, among them are trauma or recurrent brain injury, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Risk Factors

By its nature, factors that can increase the risk of dementia are divided into two, ie factors that are out of control and factors that can be controlled.

Uncontrolled and irreversible dementia risk factors include age, family health history, and health problems such as mild cognitive impairment and Down syndrome. While dementia risk factors that can be controlled or avoided include smoking and alcohol consumption, depression, sleep apnea, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, and atherosclerosis (fat accumulation in artery walls).

Symptoms of Dementia

Dementia sufferers generally experience symptoms according to the cause, with cognitive and psychological changes as the main symptoms.

Symptoms commonly felt in terms of cognitive include:

1) Memory loss.
2) Difficulty communicating.
3) Difficulty speaking and speaking.
4) Difficult to troubleshoot or plan 5) something.
6) The concentration decreases.
7) It is difficult to assess the situation and make decisions.
8) It is difficult to coordinate the movement of the body.
9) Feeling confused.

While the symptoms are felt in terms of psychological include:

1) Depression.
2) Restlessness.
3) Changes in behavior and emotions.
4) Feeling frightened (paranoid).
5) Agitation.
6) Hallucinations.

In severe conditions, the patient may experience advanced symptoms such as paralysis on one side of the body, unable to withstand urination, decreased appetite, to swallow difficulty.

Consultation with a doctor should be done if a person has one or more symptoms of dementia, in order to obtain further examination.

Diagnosis of Dementia

Dementia is not easy to diagnose because of the many symptoms that can indicate similar diseases. In addition to inquiring about the patient's and family's disease and health history, there are also physical examinations and a series of follow-up tests, including:

Cognitive and neuropsychological tests. Examine the ability to think, remember, orientation, assessment, concentration, to string the language.

Neurological examination. Examine motor skills, balance, taste, and reflexes.

Scanning. Examine the muscle, tissue, and brain nerve currents through CT scan, MRI, EEG, and PET scans.

Blood examination. Examine any abnormalities that may affect brain function such as vitamin B12 deficiency, or decreased thyroid function.

Spinal fluid examination. To detect if there is infection or inflammation of the nervous system.

Psychiatric tests. Check if the patient is depressed or other mental conditions that may affect brain health.

In the case of progressive dementia being diagnosed, the physician will refer to the theory of the 5 stages of development of conditions to determine the severity of dementia. These five stages include:

• Stage 1: The ability of the patient's brain function is still in the normal stage.
• Stage 2: Patients begin to experience decreased ability of brain function, but still able to live independently. 
• Stage 3: Patients begin to have little difficulty in daily activities, but still in mild intensity.
• Stage 4: Patients begin to need help from others to perform their daily activities.
• Stage 5: The ability of the patient's brain function decreases dramatically and is unable to live independently.