Dementi A Progressive Disease That Damages Brain

Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms of a number of illnesses which effect the function of the brain. It is an umbrella term describing the progressive decline in a person’s cognitive ability. The type and severity of symptoms varies with each type of dementia and is usually has a gradual onset, is progressive and irreversible. (1)

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of progressive dementia currently affecting 5.3 million Americans. Of the 5.3 million, 5.1 million people are the elderly population with two-thirds of those affected being women. There is no treatment available to cure dementia but measures can be taken to sustain the quality of life. Dementia not only affects the patients directly, but also family members and caregivers as well. Family members deal with patient’s memory loss, changes in personality and also have to take care of the ill patients financially. According to WHO, the cost of dementia in 2010 worldwide was estimated to be $604 billion dollars. Apart from the economic pressure, family members also deal with the physical and emotional pressures that come with dementia.

Dementia is a disease that has been characterized as a deficiency of permanent memory which leads to a decrease in recent memory that can interfere with the ability to engage in professional and social activities (Hamdy, Hamdy, Hudgins, & Piotrowski, 2014). Even recent studies have shown that dementia is not a part of the normal aging process, it has become a very serious and common condition among the older population. An estimated 35.6 million people, with 7.7 million cases diagnosed each year are affected with dementia according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (Hamdy, Hamdy, Hudgins, & Piotrowski, 2014).

Dementia is characterized as a condition where the mental processes of cognition and memory start to deteriorate. It is described as a syndrome that hinders the daily lives of those who have it and is characterized by memory and thinking impairment. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease and the second most common is vascular dementia. Dementia is a syndrome occurring usually, but not limited, to people over the age of 40 and is due to brain damage caused by natural deteriorating, stroke or can be brought on by factors such as excessive drinking or drug abuse. Dementia is best cared for in its early stages and, therefore, an early diagnosis is essential. Recognizing the symptoms by both the dementia patient and the

Alzheimer’s Disease affects millions of men and women each day. Those affected face many struggles and live a hard life as their memory slowly deteriorates. Some situations they face we would never wish upon someone else and at times can be very sad to see. Alzheimer’s Disease affects those surrounded by it just as much as it affects the person struggling with the illness. To be able to understand Alzheimer’s it is key to know the symptoms and complications, what it is like to live with the disease and the treatment.

Dementia is a clinical state caused by neurodegeneration and characterized by a loss of function in cognitive domains and behavior. There are several different causes of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Hippocampal sclerosis of aging (HS-aging) is prevalent in people of advance age, manifests with distinct neuropathological properties, and can be present with or without other dementia causes and vascular diseases [1].

There are many different types of dementia, but Alzheimer’s is the most common, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases in America (Alzheimer 's Association Organization, 2016). There are three types of Alzheimer’s, Early-onset Alzheimer’s, when people younger than 65 years old are diagnosed with the disease, typically around their 40’s or 50’s and is very rare, less than 10% of all people with Alzheimer’s have early-onset; Late-onset Alzheimer’s which is what most people are familiar with, and is when someone is diagnosed with the disease after the age of 65; and lastly, Familial Alzheimer’s disease which is a form that doctors know for

Dementia has been common, it is becoming more common recently in the elderly every day. Dementia is one of the most disorders affecting the elderly. It increases rapidly within age. Dementia is difficult to determine, Because of all the different studies. It was originally called senility and was considered part of ageing, it is still not clear if this increased the frequency of dementia as a greater awareness of symptoms or if people are just living longer lives.

Doctors need a sure way to diagnose the disease in order for treatment or studies are done on these people. The diagnosis is an autopsy of brain tissue examined under a microscope. In addition, medical history, a physical exam, and mental status tests are used for diagnosis. Often, tests are done to rule out other potential causes of the dementia. This allows the identification of other causes of thinking and behavioral changes to be made before concluding that the patient has Alzheimer’s disease or any other form of dementia. The tests that are requested to be done include a CT and MRI scan to rule out strokes or brain tumors which could account for changes in memory and behavior.

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common diseases that develop in older people. This is a disease that allows the individual to lose their memory and have other serious intellectual abilities. However, this is not something that occurs to everyone when they start to become elder, it normally is hereditary, which means it runs throughout your family. When being diagnosed with this disease it takes many steps. Sadly, this form of dementia has no cure or treatment. On the other hand, physicians have prescribed medication to help with symptoms that may occur. Family and friends usually become well aware of the early stages of Alzheimer's due to certain symptoms. Some people struggle to connect with their loved one whom is affected with the disease. This is a disease that you cannot prevent from coming and this disease is deadly.

When a doctor tells an individual that they have dementia, this mean that their brain has a condition where they have problems with thinking and memory (Types of Dementia, 2005). As time progresses, dementia leads to loss of memory, loss of reasoning and judgment, personality and behavior changes, physical decline and death (Caring for a Person with Dementia, 2005). However, dementia patients are not the only ones who suffer from the progression of their condition. The care for dementia patient falls upon their families. While the family transitions into a caregiver role and the dementia patient needs are being met, how does the

Alzheimer’s Disease is a chronic neurological disease characterized by memory loss, behavioral changes, and a progressive loss of intellectual function. This disease has a wide array of symptoms and effects that vary greatly from person to person throughout the three stages of disease progression. The three stages are classified as mild, moderate, and severe. It is tough to give an accurate prognosis with Alzheimer’s patients seeing as everyone reacts differently to the disease and the medications. According to Gould and Dyer (2011), about 4.5 to 5.4 million Americans experience the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. When a patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it has the potential to turn their loved ones’ worlds upside down. Since there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, loved ones have to constantly monitor and help the person affected. Treatment is a group effort consisting of using doctors and therapists for guidance while family members take care of the person affected.

Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and vascular dementia are some of the most common forms of this ailment. Patients with dementia experience a variety of symptoms and presentation can vary from patient to patient. The exact cause of dementia is still widely unknown. However, the disease presents as damage to brain cells that inhibits proper communication between brain cells. Most commonly, individuals with dementia experience memory loss, difficulty communicating effectively, and tasks they have been doing their whole lives suddenly become difficult. Dementia is typically a progressive disease; therefore, onset can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint. There is no specific test available to diagnose whether someone has dementia. Currently, there is no cure and no treatment option that can deter the progression of

The only way to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer's is by autopsy of brain tissue. It is important to carefully evaluate individuals who exhibit the symptoms of dementia because so some of the cause can be treated reversed. The reversible conditions include metabolic changes, drug reactions, and depression. The physical, psychological, and neurological examination can lead to a relatively accurate diagnosis. This requires the medical history, mental status testing, blood test and brain imaging to rule out other causes of dementia like symptoms. Even though there isn’t one specific test that is able to identify Alzheimer’s, a comprehensive evaluation will include the physical examination, neurological, health history, mental status, analysis

Dementia s a chronic disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and causes memory loss, personality changes and impaired reasoning. The doctors diagnose this disease by examining the patient. The elderly person will start to be disoriented and start to not remember things. This disease also interferes with daily functions and just being able to do their normal daily activities. A lot of elderly that have dementia have a mood of anxiety, loneliness, mood swings and always nervous about things. This is a very common disease the older you are and affects not only the person that has it but also the family and friends as well. I have learned to just stay positive and to keep the person comfortable with their surroundings.