ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEMENTIA

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There are times when we cannot sleep properly or even think of sleeping properly. And in the midst of all this, we even tend to lose track of what we are doing or what we should do to sleep properly. The catalyst that makes all this happen is called Dementia. 

   

Dementia is a broad term for serious loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other mental functions that interfere with everyday living. The most prevalent cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease.


It is not a single disease; instead, it is an umbrella word that encompasses a wide range of distinct medical disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Disorders classified as "dementia" are caused by aberrant brain changes.




Dementia is a comprehensive word that refers to the loss of mental faculties such as thinking, memory, attention, logical reasoning, and others. These modifications are significant enough to impair social or occupational functioning. It can be caused by a variety of factors. It occurs when the areas of your brain responsible for learning, memory, decision-making, and language are injured or sick.


It's also known as a significant neurocognitive disorder. Dementia is not a medical condition. It is, instead, a collection of symptoms produced by different illnesses.


Dementia affects around 5% to 8% of people over the age of 65. After the age of 65, this proportion doubles every five years. Half of the people in their 80s have some form of dementia.


The most prevalent cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease affects 60-80% of patients with dementia. However, there are up to 50 different causes of dementia.



What are the Types Of Dementia?


Dementia can be of various types, where some are partially manageable, but not reversible.

Some of them are:

  • Vascular Dementia
  • Dementia caused due to Parkinson's disease 
  • Dementia with Lewy bodies
  • Pick's Disease (frontotemporal dementia)
  • Alzheimer's Disease

Dementia can be bifurcated into two groups based on which part of the brain is affected, 

  • Cortical dementias: They are caused by abnormalities in the cerebral cortex, the brain's outer layer. They are essential for memory and language. People with this kind of dementia typically have significant memory loss and are unable to recall or understand language. Cortical dementia is classified into two types: Alzheimer's disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

  • Subcortical dementias: They develop as a result of issues in the areas of the brain underneath the cortex. People suffering from subcortical dementia often experience changes in their thinking speed and ability to begin activities. Typically, patients with subcortical dementia do not have forgetfulness or linguistic difficulties. These kinds of dementia can be caused by Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, or HIV.








Other types of Memory Disorders Vs Dementia


Dementia is not the same as transient disorientation or amnesia caused by an illness that recovers on its own. It can also be caused by an underlying ailment or pharmaceutical adverse effects. Dementia usually worsens with time.





Causes Of Dementia


Degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and some types of multiple sclerosis, are some root causes of Dementia but at the same time, can get worse.


  • Car accidents fall, concussions, and other forms of traumatic brain injury.
  • Central nervous system infections, Meningitis, HIV, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are examples.
  • Long-term usage of alcohol or drugs
  • Certain kinds of hydrocephalus, or fluid accumulation in the brain.
  • Subdural hematomas are blood clots that form beneath the brain's outer layer.
  • Normal-pressure hydrocephalus is a fluid accumulation in the brain.
  • Vitamin B12 insufficiency is an example of metabolic disease.
  • Hypothyroidism is characterized by low thyroid hormone levels.
  • Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
  • HAND (HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder)


Is Dementia Curable?


Doctors will address the underlying cause of dementia. Approximately 20% of dementia causes are reversible. If the etiology of dementia is irreversible, therapy will focus on symptom management, notably agitation and other emotional problems.



Aducanumab-avwa (Aduhelm) is the first Alzheimer's disease treatment authorized by the FDA in decades. 


If your loved one has Alzheimer's disease, the most prevalent kind of dementia, their doctor may recommend this monthly injection. It's a monoclonal antibody that reduces the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain.


These plaques contribute to the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease.


Medicines such as donepezil and galantamine can occasionally assist to halt the course of cognitive impairments, although the effects are frequently limited and cannot prevent the underlying illness from deteriorating.



But the Bottom Line is without our own effort and perseverance towards eradicating Dementia and all its symptoms from ourselves, no medicine or elixir can cure Dementia. Putting all techniques and medicines at bay, we must have a firm conviction that Dementia is curable and it is easy to come out of it if minor symptoms are detected.



















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