Dementia
Dementia is not the reuslt of a single disorder, but rather varying conditions resulting in cognitive decline and behavioral changes. Although primarily a condition afflicting the elderly, dementia may affect people at any age depending on the inciting condition. Patients with dementia gradually lose memory, communication skills, the ability to reason and to complete the tasks of everyday living.
Causes of Dementia
The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, a condition in which nerve cells lose the ability to communicate with one another, and slowly die. Other auses of dementia include but are not limited to:
- Parkinson's disease
- Huntington's disease
- Vascular dementia
- Chronic abuse of alcohol or drugs
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Infections (such as AIDS or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease)
- Developmental abnormalities
- Severe depression
Symptoms of Dementia
The symptoms of dementia develop gradually and may not be noticed until they worsen. Symptoms may include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty speaking
- Difficulty understanding words
- Changes in personality, mood or behavior
- Difficulty planning or performing sequential tasks
- Getting lost in familiar places
- Neglecting personal safety and hygiene
Treatment of Dementia
The success of dementia treatment depends a great deal on the root causes of the problem. Determing the best course of action requires a collaborative approach with referrals to specialists for advanced testing, diagnosis, treatment and therapy.