basics of alzheimer’s disease What it is and what you can do Basics of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s (AHLZ-high-merz) is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is not a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time. Although symptoms can vary widely, the first problem many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect their ability to function at home or at work, or to enjoy lifelong hobbies. Other symptoms include confusion, getting lost in familiar places, misplacing things and trouble with language.
Cardiac problems such as heart failure/coronary artery disease that reduces the blood flow. Amnesia can cause memory loss and can be the first symptoms of a serious illness particularly in older adults. Infections such as UTI, respiratory infection or sepsis. Underactive thyroid can lead to apathy, depression or dementia. Hypoglycemia can cause confusion and personality changes when there is not enough sugar in the
This can be more common in people who have high blood pressure, type 1 diabetes and those who smoke. Also If someone has a stoke it can damage brain cells. However not everyone who has had a stroke will go on to develop vascular dementia. Other less common causes of dementia can be things such as head injuries that can cause memory loss, brain tumours and alcohol abuse which is the cause of korsikof dementia. 1.2 describe the types of memory impairement commonely experienced by individuals with dementia.
1.1. Answer: Dementia is a term for the progressive disease of brain and describes a serious deterioration in mental function, as memory, language, orientation and judgement , The causes of dementia are still not fully understood. Research in dementia is an ongoing and to date number of types of dementia and their causes have been identified. The brain contains billions of cells, in dementia some of these cells stop working properly. Depending what part of brain this occurs in it will affect the way an individual thinks, remembers, walks and communicates.
Mixed Dementia – Mixed dementia is when an individual has Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, the individual may have symptoms relating to either Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia or a mixture of both. Binswanger’s Disease – Binswanger’s disease is a vascular dementia and is caused by damage to the small blood vessels deep within the brain. Fronto-temporal Dementia – Fronto-temporal dementia is caused by damage to front of the brain, this part of the brain is responsible for language skills, behaviour and emotional responses. This form of dementia includes Pick’s disease and dementia associated with Motor Neurone Disease. Individuals with Fronto-temporal dementia may have changes in the way they behave, say inappropriate things, become aggressive, lack insight and problems with word finding.
1. UNDERSTAND THE NEUROLOGY OF DEMENTIA 1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome Dementia syndrome is caused by damage to the brain cells; this damage interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate each other. The most common causes of dementia are called neurodegenerative diseases, and include Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies. When brain cells can no longer communicate normally, thinking, behaviour and feelings can be affected. Dementia is an umbrella term for number of diseases; "over 130 are known today" that affect the memory, behaviour, and motor skills.
Beta amyloid is similar to cholesterol and is essential for the brain but an excessive amount inhibits proper brain function. In result recent research suggest that the cerebral cortex, which process visual and spatial information is damage in Alzheimer’s disease patients brains. In addition, areas of the brain, important for memory such as the basal forebrain and hippocampus are affected .As well as decrease level of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. In the early stage of dementia patient experience memory impairment, lapse in judgment and little change in personality .as the disease progresses, memory and language problem worsen and patient begin to have difficulty performing activities of daily living such as remembering to feed themselves and bath etc….during the last stage of the disease patient begin to lose motor functions and eventually lose the ability to recognize family member and to
Lizette merino 6/26/2013 Dr. Brenan Therapeutic Communications Dementia Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be cause by a number of disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships. They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintaining emotional control. There are different types of dementia.
Although in most cases dementia is not inherited from family members, a small number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease can run in families. In Alzheimer’s disease the loss of brain cells leads to atrophy which is where the brain shrinks. The cerebral cortex part of the brain is particularly affected by atrophy and this part of the brain is responsible for complex functions, such as, processing thoughts,
Depression is also common in other types of degenerative dementia, including those that arise from Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Pick's disease, and in dementias of vascular origin. Degeneration of the major brainstem aminergic nuclei that occurs in Alzheimer's disease is likely to contribute to disturbances in perception, mood, thought, and