How Do You Know if You Are Getting Dementia
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person'southward daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is but showtime to affect a person'southward functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of living.
Dementia is more common as people abound older (about one-third of all people age 85 or older may have some form of dementia) but information technology is not a normal office of aging. Many people live into their 90s and across without whatever signs of dementia.
At that place are several different forms of dementia, including Alzheimer'south disease. A person's symptoms can vary depending on the type.
What are the signs and symptoms of dementia?
Signs and symptoms of dementia result when in one case-good for you neurons, or nervus cells, in the encephalon stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die. While everyone loses some neurons as they age, people with dementia feel far greater loss.
The symptoms of dementia can vary and may include:
- Experiencing retentiveness loss, poor judgment, and confusion
- Difficulty speaking, agreement and expressing thoughts, or reading and writing
- Wandering and getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
- Trouble handling money responsibly and paying bills
- Repeating questions
- Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects
- Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
- Losing involvement in normal daily activities or events
- Hallucinating or experiencing delusions or paranoia
- Interim impulsively
- Non caring well-nigh other people's feelings
- Losing balance and issues with movement
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can besides develop dementia every bit they age, and recognizing their symptoms can be specially difficult. It'due south important to consider a person'due south electric current abilities and to monitor for changes over time that could signal dementia.
What causes dementia?
The causes of Alzheimer'south and related dementias tin can vary, depending on the types of encephalon changes that may be taking place. While inquiry has found that some changes in the encephalon are linked to sure forms of dementia, in most cases, the underlying causes are unknown. Rare genetic mutations may cause dementia in a relatively pocket-sized number of people.
Although there is no proven prevention, in general, leading a healthy lifestyle may help reduce risk factors that have been associated with these diseases.
What are the different types of dementia?
Various disorders and factors contribute to the development of dementia. Neurodegenerative disorders outcome in a progressive and irreversible loss of neurons and brain functioning. Currently, in that location are no cures for these diseases.
The five well-nigh common forms of dementia are:
- Alzheimer'south disease, the most common dementia diagnosis among older adults. It is caused past changes in the encephalon, including abnormal buildups of proteins, known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
- Frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of dementia that tends to occur in people younger than threescore. It is associated with abnormal amounts or forms of the proteins tau and TDP-43.
- Lewy trunk dementia, a form of dementia caused by abnormal deposits of the protein blastoff-synuclein, called Lewy bodies.
- Vascular dementia, a form of dementia caused by conditions that damage blood vessels in the brain or interrupt the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
- Mixed dementia, a combination of two or more types of dementia.
Other conditions that crusade dementia-like symptoms can be halted or even reversed with treatment. For example, normal pressure hydrocephalus, an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the encephalon, often resolves with handling.
In addition, medical weather condition such as stress, anxiety, depression, and delirium tin can cause serious retentiveness problems that resemble dementia, equally tin side effects of sure medicines.
Researchers take besides identified many other conditions that tin can crusade dementia or dementia-like symptoms. These conditions include:
- Argyrophilic grain disease, a mutual, belatedly-onset degenerative illness
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness, a rare brain disorder
- Huntington's disease, an inherited, progressive brain illness
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, caused past repeated traumatic brain injury
- HIV-associated dementia, a rare disease that occurs when the HIV virus spreads to the brain
The overlap in symptoms of various dementias can brand it difficult to go an accurate diagnosis. But a proper diagnosis is important to get the best treatment.
How is dementia diagnosed?
To diagnose dementia, doctors first assess whether a person has an underlying, potentially treatable, status that may relate to cognitive difficulties. A physical exam to measure claret pressure and other vital signs, every bit well as laboratory tests of blood and other fluids to check levels of diverse chemicals, hormones, and vitamins, can assistance uncover or dominion out possible causes of symptoms.
A review of a person's medical and family history can provide important clues about take a chance for dementia. Typical questions might include asking near whether dementia runs in the family unit, how and when symptoms began, changes in behavior and personality, and if the person is taking certain medications that might cause or worsen symptoms.
The following procedures also may exist used to diagnose dementia:
- Cognitive and neurological tests. These tests are used to assess thinking and physical functioning. These include assessments of memory, problem solving, linguistic communication skills, and math skills, as well as residue, sensory response, and reflexes.
- Brain scans. These tests tin can place strokes, tumors, and other problems that can crusade dementia. Scans also identify changes in the brain's construction and function. The nigh common scans are:
- Computed tomography (CT), which uses 10-rays to produce images of the brain and other organs
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of torso structures, including tissues, organs, bones, and nerves
- Positron emission tomography (PET), which uses radiations to provide pictures of encephalon activeness
- Psychiatric evaluation. This evaluation volition help determine if depression or another mental health status is causing or contributing to a person'due south symptoms.
- Genetic tests. Some dementias are caused past a person's genes. In these cases, a genetic test can assist people know if they are at take chances for dementia. Information technology is important to talk with a genetic counselor earlier and after getting tested, along with family unit members and the md.
- Blood tests. It is at present possible for doctors to gild a blood test to measure out levels of beta-amyloid, a poly peptide that accumulates abnormally in people with Alzheimer's. Several other blood tests are in development. However, the availability of these diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's and related dementias is notwithstanding limited.
Early detection of symptoms is important, equally some causes can be treated. Withal, in many cases, the cause of dementia is unknown and cannot exist treated. However, obtaining an early diagnosis tin can help with managing the condition and planning ahead.
Sometimes, a person with dementia will concord to donate their brain. Encephalon donation helps researchers study brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's affliction and related dementias, which affect millions of people. By studying the brains of people who have died, researchers learn more about how types of dementia affect the encephalon and how we might improve treat and prevent them. When donating as part of a enquiry study or to the NIH NeuroBioBank, there is no cost to the family for the donation and an autopsy report.
Who can diagnose dementia?
Visiting a primary care doctor is ofttimes the first stride for people who are experiencing changes in thinking, motility, or beliefs. Even so, neurologists — doctors who specialize in disorders of the encephalon and nervous system — are often consulted to diagnose dementia. Geriatric psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, and geriatricians may also be able to diagnose dementia. Your dr. can aid you find a specialist.
If a specialist cannot exist found in your community, contact the nearest medical school neurology section for a referral. A medical school infirmary also may have a dementia clinic that provides good evaluation. Y'all can too visit the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers directory to come across if there is an NIA-funded center nearly you. These centers tin can help with obtaining a diagnosis and medical management of conditions.
For more information nearly dementia
NIA Alzheimer's and related Dementias Pedagogy and Referral (ADEAR) Centre
800-438-4380
adear@nia.nih.gov
www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers
The NIA ADEAR Center offers information and free print publications well-nigh Alzheimer'due south and related dementias for families, caregivers, and wellness professionals. ADEAR Center staff answer telephone, email, and written requests and make referrals to local and national resources.
Alzheimers.gov
www.alzheimers.gov
Explore the Alzheimers.gov portal for information and resources on Alzheimer's and related dementias from across the federal government.
This content is provided past the NIH National Plant on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure information technology is authentic and upwards to date.
Content reviewed: July 02, 2021
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Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-is-dementia
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