Rachel Pearson Unit 13: Understanding the Process and Experience of Dementia Unit Code: DEM 301 Unit reference number: J/601/3538 Section 1 - Understand the neurology of dementia 1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome? Dementia syndrome is a group of signs and symptoms, in which cause damage to cells in the brain. The most common causes are neurodegenerative diseases; this includes Alzheimer’s, Vascular, and Frontotemporal, lewy bodied, Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease (CJD) and Huntington disease. With these diseases the brain cells degenerate and die more quickly than the normal ageing process. This leads to the decline of a person’s mental health and sometimes physical abilities.
Unit 4222-237 Dementia Awareness Outcome 1 Understand what dementia is: 1.1 What is meant by the term ‘dementia’: The term 'dementia' is used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. These include Alzheimer's disease and sometimes as a result of a stroke. 1.2 The key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia : Dementia is a condition of the brain which causes a gradual loss of mental ability, including problems with memory, understanding, judgement, thinking and language. In addition, other problems commonly develop such as changes in personality and changes in the way someone interacts with others in social situations. As dementia progresses, the ability of someone to look after themselves from day to day may also become affected.
DEM-301 Understand the Process and Experience of Dementia 1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome. Fixed cognitive impairments are due to a single incident.traumatic brain injurys may cause generalised damage to the white matter of the brain or localised damages. A brief reduction in the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain may lead to this type of dementia. A stroke or brain infection can also be the cause of dementia. Excessive alcoholic intake results in alcoholic dementia.
DEM-301 Understand the Process and Experience of Dementia 1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome. Fixed cognitive impairments are due to a single incident. Traumatic brain injury may cause generalised damage to the white matter of the brain or localised damages. A brief reduction in the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain may lead to this type of dementia. A stroke or brain infection can also be the cause of dementia.
The symptoms of this dementia will show up according to where in the brain the stroke happened. Some mental illnesses, such as depression and psychosis, may show the same symptoms as dementia. An elderly person who is depressed may display memory loss and so it is important that part of the tests include a depression screening such as the “Neuropsychiatric Inventory” or the “Geriatric Depression Scale”. Some elderly people with memory complaints may have early stages of dementia though. Delirium can be confused with dementia too.
Dementia is a collection of symptoms including memory loss, personality change, and impaired intellectual functions resulting from disease or trauma to the brain. These changes are not part of normal aging and are severe enough to impact daily living, independence, and relationships. There will likely be noticeable decline in communication, learning, remembering, and problem solving. These changes may occur quickly or very slowly over time. Common signs and symptoms of dementia include: * Memory loss * Impaired judgment
As dementia progresses, the person may develop behavior problems which may seem out of character. These behaviors may include repetitive questioning, pacing, restlessness or agitation. A person with dementia, especially in the later stages, may also show signs of physical symptoms such as muscle weakness or weight loss. Changes in sleep pattern and appetite are also common. 2 - The brain, along with the spinal cord, makes up the central nervous system, and it is this that controls all of our body’s functions.
It is not known exactly what causes this process to begin, although people with Alzheimer's disease have been found to have abnormal amounts of protein (amyloid plaques), fibres (tau tangles) and a chemical called acetylcholine in the brain.These reduce the effectiveness of healthy neurons (nerve cells that carry messages to and from the brain), gradually destroying them. Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome.
Brain Brain Damage Microscopic changes in the brain begin long before the first signs of memory loss. Two abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells. The role of plaques and tangles Microscopic changes in the brain begin long before the first signs of memory loss. Two abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells. Changes in the Brain in Alzheimer’s Disease Mild Alzheimer’s Disease As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, memory loss continues and changes in other cognitive abilities appear.
Alzheimers begins with the deterioration of certain areas in the brain. The outcomes from that are the loss cognitive and physical attributes that will slowly lead to the patient’s passing. Alzheimers is a disease and is not a normal part of the aging process. Alzheimers usually appears in the age group of sixty and older. It is a “neurodegenerative disease” (Ignatavicius, Workman), which is the deterioration of the brain.