Dementia is an overall term used for a particular group of symptoms. These involve difficulties with language, memory, problem-solving and other thinking skills. Dementia can be from a variety of causes and includes:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Lewy body disease
- Frontotemporal lobar degeneration
(FTLD)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Hippocampal sclerosis (HS)
- Mixed pathologies
Alzheimer’s
disease is the most common cause of dementia. It is a progressive brain disease
that makes up 60-80% of dementia cases. These brain changes are caused from an
accumulation of certain abnormal proteins and the degeneration of nerve cells
(neurons.) Changes can involve memory, language and difficulty thinking. Unfortunately,
Alzheimer’s begins many years before symptoms are apparent.
How quickly
Alzheimer’s disease progresses and what abilities are affected differ from
person to person. Medication helps for varying lengths of time, but there is
still no cure. As time goes by more damage occurs and more areas of the brain
are affected. There are approximately 5.8 million Americans living with
Alzheimer’s disease. In Michigan, 190,000 people aged 65 and older are living
with it.
There are
many symptoms. These can include:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
(forgetting dates/events, asking the same information over and over again)
- Challenges in planning or solving
problems (following a recipe, paying bills)
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
(problems driving to a familiar location, remembering the rules to a favorite
game)
- Confusion with time or place (losing
track of dates, seasons, forgetting where they are)
- Trouble understanding visual images
and spatial relationships (trouble reading, balance difficulties, judging
distance, determining color)
- New problems with words in speaking
or writing (trouble following or joining a conversation)
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps (putting things in unusual places, accusing others of stealing)
- Decreased or poor judgment (problems with handling money, less attention to grooming)
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
(problems remembering how to do a favorite hobby, changes in the ability to
follow conversations)
- Changes in mood or personality (suspicious,
depressed, fearful, anxious, easily upset)
People with
dementia symptoms should get a formal screening and diagnosis. There are
currently six medications approved to help once diagnosed. Non-drug treatment
options are also available and include cognitive stimulation, psychological
treatment, support groups, sensory practices, psychosocial practices and
structured care protocols. Outside help may eventually be necessary for the
activities of daily living.
There is a
lot going on with research to help find the cause of this chronic condition and
help prevent it. Basically, good nutrition, engaging in physical activity,
emotional wellbeing and good sleep hygiene make for a healthy body and brain.
But we can do more. One of the most interesting things to try is to build new
brain pathways. Make your brain do things it isn’t used to. Learning a new
language isn’t easy once you have a few years under your belt, but it makes
your brain work harder and builds new pathways. Other items can be making your
non-dominant hand do things it isn’t used to doing, like brushing your teeth.
Learn new words. Do crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and other brain
stimulating games. Keep your brain working harder. What do you have to lose? Maybe,
just maybe, Alzheimer’s disease.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350453
https://www.alz.org/professionals/public-health/state-overview/michigan
