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Signs, Causes, and Types of Dementia

Dementia is associated with one’s memory, thinking capacity, and social abilities. Patients may find it difficult to recall their names, addresses, or phone numbers. Such issues pose a high risk of stepping out of the house, making it difficult for patients to carry out their day-to-day chores and become highly dependent on other family members. This article highlights the causes, symptoms, common forms of dementia, and risk factors linked with the condition:

Causes
Damage or loss of the nerves predominantly connected to the nervous system poses a risk of dementia. The nerves linked with the central nervous system are responsible for signaling movement, storing memory, and the ability to speak and think fluently. When the nerves responsible for storing and processing memories are damaged, it may lead to different diseases that eventually lead to dementia. Besides injury and nerve damage, dementia may cause gene mutations. That said, it can be inherited from the parents. If one or more family members are affected with dementia or any form, getting tests done to diagnose the condition early is crucial to help curb its progression.

Symptoms
Dementia is a progressive disease that can elevate from stage one to stage seven quite fast if left untreated. Watch out for signs of dementia as the damage caused to the brain by this condition is irreversible. We have compiled and divided the list of symptoms for one to easily point out the early signs of dementia. Please note that the symptoms and their intensity may vary depending on the stage of dementia.

Cognitive Symptoms
These are associated with communication, motor abilities, and acute memory loss.

Inability to process conversations, reading material, and poor judgment
Memory loss, but this may be noticed by someone else
Ineffective communication
Asking repeated questions
Inability to multitask or difficulty comprehending challenging tasks
Lack of coordination and motor functions
Often find oneself in a familiar neighborhood
Difficulty handling bills and money
Difficulty reading and writing

Psychological Symptoms
These signs of dementia are linked to various mental health conditions. Dementia has a significant hold over a patient’s mental health, and it starts showing in ways listed below:

Paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions
Anxiety or impulsive behavior
Changes in behavior and personality
Agitation and insensitivity toward others
Swiftly lose interest in work and daily chores
Mood swings
Depression

Types
Dementia has different forms of conditions that may vary in symptoms and intensity. Below listed are different types of dementia.

Alzheimer’s Disease
Yes, Alzheimer’s is a part of dementia, and it’s the most common type. It starts showing signs and symptoms at the onset of the condition. However, the symptoms gradually increase with time. Patients with this condition develop plaques and tangles made up of tau protein, which restricts the function of brain cells and neurons. This condition is caused due to gene mutations, and the gene responsible for causing Alzheimer’s disease is apolipoprotein E4 (APOE).

Vascular Dementia
When the vessels that carry blood to the entire body are damaged, it can cause vascular dementia. Besides developing dementia, this condition poses a high risk of strokes and can damage the brain’s white matter fibers .

Lewy Body Dementia
Patients with Lewy body dementia tend to develop balloon-like protein clumps in the brain. This formation can significantly cause damage to the brain cells. Symptoms like acting out in one’s dreams while asleep, reduced focus and ability to pay attention, causing tremors, and uncoordinated or slow movements are triggered. However, the symptoms of Lewy body dementia differ under the stages and the patient’s cognitive decline. This condition is associated with memory loss, the inability to speak, and compromised thought processing; in the end, they need round-the-clock support. Lewy body dementia stages are differentiated in terms of their cognitive decline below:

Stage 1: No cognitive decline
Stage 2: Beginning of cognitive decline
Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline
Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline
Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline
Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline
Stage 7: Complete cognitive decline

Frontotemporal Dementia
This condition is linked to the breakdown of nerve cells and their connections. It affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain responsible for language, behavior, and personality.

Mixed Dementia
A single person may be affected by different types of dementia and may have to deal with symptoms. This type of dementia increases the intensity of their symptoms and can make it very challenging for them to manage the condition.

Common R isk Factors
By sharing common risk factors of dementia, we want to help our readers prevent the condition. One can try and control the below-listed risk factors:

Poor food habits
Lack of physical activity
Poorly managed diabetes
Cholesterol
Exposure to excessive air pollution
Sleep apnea or insomnia
Low levels of vitamins D, B6, B-12, and folate

The factors of dementia discussed herein need to be carefully considered as far as the diagnosis and treatment of this condition are concerned.

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