Dementia is not a specific disease but is rather a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal aging.
How common is dementia?
Of those at least 65 years of age, there is an estimated nearly 7 million adults with dementia in 2014 and projected to be nearly 14 million by 2060.
Isn’t dementia a normal part of aging?
No, many older adults live their entire lives without developing dementia. Normal aging may include weakening muscles and bones, stiffening of arteries and vessels, and some age-related memory changes that may show as:
Occasionally misplacing car keys
Struggling to find a word but remembering it later
Forgetting the name of an acquaintance
Forgetting the most recent events
Normally, knowledge and experiences built over years, old memories, and language would stay intact.
Signs and symptoms of dementia
Because dementia is a general term, its symptoms can vary widely from person to person. People with dementia have problems with:
Memory
Attention
Communication
Reasoning, judgment, and problem solving
Visual perception beyond typical age-related changes in vision
Signs that may point to dementia include:
Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects
Forgetting the name of a close family member or friend
Forgetting old memories
Not being able to complete tasks independently
What increases the risk for dementia?
Age
The strongest known risk factor for dementia is increasing age, with most cases affecting those of 65 years and older.
Family History
Those who have parents or siblings with dementia are more likely to develop dementia themselves.
Race/Ethnicity
Older African Americans are twice more likely to have dementia than whites. Hispanics 1.5 times more likely to have dementia than whites.
Poor Heart Health
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking increase the risk of dementia if not treated properly.
Traumatic Brain Injury
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking increase the risk of dementia if not treated properly.
How is dementia diagnosed?
A healthcare provider can perform tests on attention, memory, problem solving and other cognitive abilities to see if there is cause for concern. A physical exam, blood tests, and brain scans like a CT or MRI can help determine an underlying cause or rule out other health issues.
How is dementia treated?
Treatment of dementia depends on the underlying cause and the progression of the disease. There are prescription drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that temporarily ease some symptoms and others that can slow the progression of the disease. Medications don’t work for everyone, and they may lose effectiveness over time. Most FDA-approved drugs work best for people in the early or middle stages of dementia.
What are the most common types of dementia?
Alzheimer’s Disease
This is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. It is caused by specific changes in the brain. The trademark symptom is trouble remembering recent events, such as a conversation that occurred minutes or hours ago, while difficulty remembering more distant memories occurs later in the disease. Other concerns like difficulty with walking or talking or personality changes also come later. Family history is the most important risk factor. Having a first-degree relative with Alzheimer’s disease increases the risk of developing it by 10 to 30 percent.
Vascular Dementia
About 10 percent of dementia cases are linked to strokes or other issues with blood flow to the brain. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Symptoms vary depending on the area and size of the brain impacted. The disease progresses in a step-wise fashion, meaning symptoms will suddenly get worse as the individual gets more strokes or mini-strokes.
Lewy Body Dementia
In addition to more typical symptoms like memory loss, people with this form of dementia may have movement or balance problems like stiffness or trembling. Many people also experience changes in alertness including daytime sleepiness, confusion or staring spells. They may also have trouble sleeping at night or may experience visual hallucinations (seeing people, objects or shapes that are not actually there).
Fronto-temporal Dementia
This type of dementia most often leads to changes in personality and behavior because of the part of the brain it affects. People with this condition may embarrass themselves or behave inappropriately. For instance, a previously cautious person may make offensive comments and neglect responsibilities at home or work. There may also be problems with language skills like speaking or understanding.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/aging/alzheimers-disease-dementia/about-dementia.html