Dementia Soraya Benstead Year 11, Psychology 2013

What is dementia? Dementia is the progressive deterioration in cognitive function - the ability to process thought. Dementia is a label for a group of symptoms that are caused by disorders affecting the brain. It is not one specific disease. Dementia affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to manage everyday tasks. A classic sign of dementia is the inability to carry out everyday activities as a consequence of diminished cognitive ability. Progressive means the symptoms will gradually get worse. The deterioration is more than might be expected from normal aging and is due to damage or disease. Damage could be due to a stroke, while an example of a disease might be Alzheimer's.

Signs and Symptoms Memory loss - the patient may forget his way back home from the shops. He may forget names and places. He may find it hard to remember what happened earlier on during the day. Moodiness - the patient may become more and more moody as parts of the brain that control emotion become damaged. Moods may also be affected by fear and anxiety - the patient is frightened about what is happening to him. Communicative difficulties - the affected person finds it harder to talk read and/or write.

Diagnosis of Dementia Doctors diagnose dementia if two or more cognitive functions are significantly impaired. The cognitive functions that may be affected include: memory language skills understanding of information spatial skills judgement attention

Diagnosis of Dementia People with dementia may have difficulty solving problems and controlling their emotions. They may experience personality changes, agitation, delusions or hallucinations. The exact symptoms experienced by a person with dementia depend on the areas of the brain that are damaged by the disease causing the dementia. With many types of dementia, some of the nerve cells in the brain stop functioning, lose connections with other cells, and die. Dementia is usually progressive. This means that the disease gradually spreads through the brain and the person’s symptoms get worse over time.

Diseases That Cause Dementia Alzheimer's disease - This is by far the most common cause of dementia. The chemistry and structure of the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease changes and his brain cells die prematurely.

Diseases That Cause Dementia Stroke (Vascular problems) - this means problems with blood vessels (veins and arteries). Our brain needs a good supply of oxygen-rich blood. If this supply is undermined in any way our brain cells could die - causing symptoms of vascular dementia. Symptoms may appear suddenly, or gradually. A major stroke will cause symptoms to appear suddenly while a series of mini strokes will not.

Diseases That Cause Dementia Fronto-temporal dementia - this includes Pick's disease. The front part of the brain is damaged. The patient's behaviour and personality are affected first, later his memory changes.

Diseases That Cause Dementia Other diseases Progressive supranuclear palsy, Korsakoff's syndrome, Binswanger's disease, HIV and AIDS, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Dementia is also more common among patients who suffer from Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Motor Neurone disease and Multiple Sclerosis. People who suffer from AIDS sometimes go on to develop cognitive impairment.

Treatment for Dementia In the majority of cases dementia is incurable. Researchers are making inroads into treatments that may slow down dementia's progress. Cholinestaerase inhibitors are frequently administered during the early stages. Cognitive and behavioural therapies may also be useful. Several studies have found that music therapy helps patients with dementia. It is important to remember that the patient's caregiver also needs training and emotional support.

Treatment for Dementia HOW TO GET TREATMENT It is important that the person has a firm diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, not another form of dementia and to determine which stage the disease is in. A specialist, such as neurologist, psychogeriatrician, geriatrician or psychiatrist, will usually be involved in the prescription of these drugs.

Treatments for Dementia TREATING THE ACCOMPANYING SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA Dementia often causes a number of behavioural and psychological symptoms which can be very distressing. These may include depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, hallucinations, ideas of persecution, misidentification of relatives or places, agitation and aggressive behaviour. These symptoms may respond to reassurance, a change in the environment or removal of the source of any distress such as pain. However, sometimes medication may be required for relief.

Preventing Dementia While some factors, such as your genes, are out of your control, many powerful lifestyle factors are within your reach of influence. The six important parts of a brain-healthy lifestyle are: Regular exercise Healthy diet Mental stimulation Quality sleep Stress management An active social life The more you strengthen each of these in your daily life, the healthier and hardier your brain will be. When you lead a brain-healthy lifestyle, your brain will stay working stronger for longer.

Preventing Dementia Regular Exercise Benefits According to the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation, physical exercise reduces your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 50 per cent. Regular exercise can also slow further deterioration in those who have already started to develop cognitive problems.

Preventing Dementia Consuming a Healthy Diet Just like the rest of your body, your brain needs a nutritious diet to operate at its best. Focus on eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats. Eating habits that reduce inflammation and provide a steady supply of fuel are best. These food tips will keep you protected: Avoid trans fats and saturated fats. Eat a heart-healthy diet. Get plenty of omega-3 fats. Eat 4-6 small meals throughout the day, rather than 3 large meals. Eat across the rainbow. Enjoy daily cups of tea.

Preventing Dementia Daily Mental Stimulation Those who continue learning new things throughout life and challenging their brains are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, so make it a point to stay mentally active. In essence, you need to “use it or lose it.” Activities involving multiple tasks or requiring communication, interaction, and organization offer the greatest protection. Set aside time each day to stimulate your brain.

Preventing Dementia Quality Sleep Your brain needs regular, restful sleep in order to function at optimum capacity. Sleep deprivation not only leaves you cranky and tired, but impairs your ability to think, problem-solve, and process, store, and recall information. Deep, dreamy sleep is critical for memory formation and retention. If nightly sleep deprivation is slowing your thinking and affecting your mood, you may be at greater risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The vast majority of adults need at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Any less, and productivity and creativity suffers.

Preventing Dementia Stopping Stress Stress that is chronic or severe takes a heavy toll on the brain, leading to shrinkage in a key memory area of the brain known as the hippocampus, hampering nerve cell growth, and increasing your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Preventing Dementia Keeping an Active Social Life Human beings are highly social creatures. We don’t thrive in isolation, and neither do our brains. Studies show that the more connected we are, the better we fare on tests of memory and cognition. Staying socially active may even protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, so make your social life a priority.