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
later the person may become confused and may find it difficult to understand what is being said. Vascular dementia This describes all forms of dementia caused by damage to the blood vessels to the brain Symptoms can occur suddenly after a stroke or over time through a series of small strokes known as multi infarct dementia. Lewy bodies This form of dementia gets its name from the tiny spherical structures made of proteins that develop inside nerve cells . their presence inside the brain leads to the degeneration and death of brain tissue affecting memory , concentration and language skills . People with lewy bodies often suffer hallucinations.
Hsc L3 Unit 4222-365 Dementia UNIT 4222-365 UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND EXPERIENCE OF DEMENTIA OUTCOME 1 1.1 The brain is a very complex organ and is divided up into different areas that control bodily functions. In dementia, some of the cells stop working. The part of the brain this occurs in will affect how that person thinks, remembers and communicates. Alzheimer’s disease; is a physical disease affecting the brain. During the course of the disease, protein develops in the structure of the brain leading to the death of brain cells.
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.
Dementia Awareness Unit 237 Dementia is a condition which is the gradual loss of brain function, this also makes it degenerative. It can include symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, problems with speech and understanding. Dementia at the moment has no cure, as it has a number of diseases that coincide with it. Alzheimer’s is part of dementia. Functions that are affected by dementia are; Short term Memory loss, Language skills, the ability to interpret information, spatial skills, judgement and attention.
Dementia Awareness Understand what dementia is. 1) Dementia is where there is a decline of the brain and its abilities, it is caused when the brain is damaged by disease, for example, Alzheimer’s disease, damage to the brain or a series of strokes. There are several types of dementia these include, vascular, Alzheimer’s, lewy bodies, fronto-temporal. 2) Areas affected by dementia are memory loss, speed of thinking, mental agility, language, understanding and judgement. 3) Other conditions such as depression and delirium both have similar symptoms as dementia.
Alzheimer's disease affects the brain through exponentially greater cell death and tissue loss, resulting in a decreased brain size. As a result, behavior, memory and thinking are affected. Vascular dementia is caused by blockages and breaches in the brain's blood supply that damage the brain and can be caused by any condition which results in an interruption to the blood flow to the brain, and as well as strokes, this could include diseased arteries, heart attacks, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, diabetes, furred arteries and irregular heart rhythms. Any condition causing damage to the circulation of blood to the brain carries a risk to mental functioning. People experiencing vascular dementia will, like those with Alzheimer’s disease, have problems with learning, remembering, recognition, planning and problem solving.
Neurons and synapses become damaged by dementia they may be unable to carry messages that tell a section of the brain what to do. 1.2. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia Frontal lobe - Movement, emotional behaviour, personality, interpretation and feeling. Parietal lobe - Language, special awareness and recognition. Temporal lobe – Long term memory, speech and hearing.
In addition to this, the connections between affected nerve cells deteriorate. As the disease progresses, it spreads and affects cells in other parts of the brain. Day to day memory problems are first noticed but other symptoms include not knowing the right words anymore, problem solving, decision making or 3 dimensional perception. * Vascular dementia is caused when the brain is deprived of oxygen. This happens when the arteries which carry oxygenated blood to the brain can't get there and the brain, or part of it, dies.
For example, a victim in an accident resulting in head injury may have difficulty remembering anything new. Concussions are a leading cause to anterograde amnesia. It is also a very common type amongst elderly people battling for of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s. In cases of anterograde amnesia, the damage resides in areas of the hippocampus,