The cells eventually die and this means that information cannot be recalled or assimilated. As Alzheimer’s disease progressively affects different areas of the brain, certain functions or abilities are lost. Vascular dementia Vascular dementia is the broad term for dementia associated with problems of circulation of blood to the brain. It is the second most common form of dementia. There are a number of different types of vascular dementia.
Vascular dementia is caused when there is a reduction in the blood flow to the brain. Over time, this can damage the parts of the brain which play a large part of a person memory, speech and attention. A stroke can play a part in this type of dementia when it narrows the blood vessels to the brain. Dementia with Lewy Bodies is caused by lumps of protein which builds up inside nerve cells inside the brain, the proteins damage the nerve cells and how they work, these nerves are responsible for thinking, memory and movement of a person. Dementia with Lewy Bodies can be closely related to Parkinsons Disease and there is a theory that Dementia with Lewy Bodies interferes with two neurotransmitters called dopamine and acetylcholine which assist in the brains functions.
Although there a small amount of cases of Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia can be inherited from a previous generation. Vascular dementia is where the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, if there is restricted or stopped blood supply to the brain that’s when the cells being to die which results in brain damage. * Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, this form of the disease is the loss of cells in brain which causes the brain to shrink. The medical term for this is ‘Atrophy’. The most affected part of the brain is the Cerebral Cortex; this part
This may be as a result of a stroke or mini strokes although it can be caused by preventable conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Dementia with Lewys Bodies (DLB) is caused by small deposits of proteins found in the nerve cells of the brain. Their presence in the brain leads to the degeneration of brain tissue. This is the third most common form of dementia. Rarer forms of dementia are: Fronto temperal dementia which is brain damage usually focused in the front or temporal parts of the brain.
A) The key functions that are affected by dementia are vision, memory, hearing, language and learning, which the temporal lobe (bottom left front lobe of the brain) is responsible for. Decision making, problem solving, control of behaviour and emotions, which the frontal lobe (front lobe of the brain) is responsible for, can also be affected. Sensory information form the body, letter forming, putting things in order and spatial awareness, which the parietal lobe (middle top lobe of the brain) is responsible for, can also be affected. Processing information related to vision, which the occipital lobe (back lobe of the brain) is responsible for, can also be affected. Memory, attention, thought, senses and movement, which the cerebellum lobe (right at the bottom of the brain next to the brain stem) is responsible for, can also be affected.
Alzheimer's is actually a physical disease that affects the brain. As the disease progresses, protein 'plaques' and 'tangles' develop in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. Some symptoms can include confusion and forgetfulness, mood swings, becoming more withdrawn and having difficulty carrying out everyday activities. Rarer causes of dementia Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – (CJD) is caused by an infectious protein in the brain called prion. Huntington's disease – this is an inherited disease causing abnormal movements and problems with coordination, together with cognitive impairment.
Understand the neurology of dementia Dementia is a general term for loss of memory and other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is caused by physical changes in the brain. Alzimers is most common type of dementia; accounts for an estimated 60 to 80 percent of all cases. Symptoms, difficulty remembering recent conversations, names or events is often an early clinical symptom, apathy and depression are also often early symptoms, later symptoms include impaired communication, poor judgment, disorientation, confusion, behavior changes and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking. 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.
Dementia which begins gradually and worsens progressively over several years is usually caused by neurodegenerative disease that is, by conditions affecting only or primarily the neurons of the brain and causing gradual but irreversible loss of function of these cells. Less commonly, a non-degenerative condition may have secondary effects on brain cells, which may or may not be reversible if the condition is treated. The causes of dementia depend on the age at which symptoms begin. In the elderly population, a large majority of cases of dementia are caused by Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or both. It is rare to have dementia in young people 1.2 Describe the types of memory impairment commonly experienced by individuals with dementia.
Describe the key functions of the brain that are – affected by dementia The Brain Brain cells Spinal cord Frontal lobe Parietal lobe Temporal lobe Cerebellum Occipital lobe Explain why depression, delirium and age-related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia The above symptoms are very similar to Dementia and this is why people get mistaken, it is very important that an individual with symptoms gets assessed by a GP to determine the condition. Understand key features of the theoretical models of dementia 2.1 Outline the medical model of dementia Medical model of dementia is when a individuals memory is affected by a medical disease or condition or injury as a result of a brain trauma which affects an area of a individuals brain that is responsible for storing memory. 2.2 Outline the social model of dementia Social model of dementia is when a individuals brain is in a process of deterioration, this is a process that is ongoing and is done by illness. Individuals will struggle to remember places and people they have just made contact with minutes before. 2.3 Explain why dementia should be viewed as a disability Dementia should be viewed as a disability because people who suffer with dementia struggle to understand simple daily requirements such as
Using a different colour pen indicate where dementia effects the brain. The key functions that are affected by dementia are: Temporal lobe = Responsible for vision, memory, language, hearing and learning Frontal lobe = Responsible for decision making, problem solving, control behaviour