Related
Disorders
Dementia
is the loss of mental function in two or more areas such as language,
memory, or judgment severe enough to interfere with daily life. Dementia
itself is not a disease but a broader set of symptoms that accompanies
certain disease or physical conditions.
Well-known diseases that cause
dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, Multi-infarct dementia, Parkinson’s,
Huntington’s, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, Pick’s and Lewy body dementia.
Other physical conditions may cause or mimic dementia such as depression,
brain tumors, head injuries, nutritional deficiencies, hydrocephalus,
infections (AIDS, meningitis, syphilis), drug reactions, and thyroid problems.
Individuals experiencing dementia-like symptoms should undergo diagnostic
testing as soon as possible. An early and accurate diagnosis helps to
identify reversible conditions and gives people a greater chance of benefiting
from existing treatments.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting
as many as four million Americans. AD is a degenerative disease that attacks
the brain, begins gradually, and progresses at a variable rate. AD results
in impaired memory, thinking and behavior and can last three to 20 years
from the time of onset of symptoms.
Warning signs of AD are memory loss
that affects job/home skills, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems
finding the right words, disorientation as to time and place, poor or
decreased judgment, difficulty with learning and abstract thinking, placing
things in inappropriate places, changes in mood and personality and the
marked loss of initiative. In the last stage, of AD, patients are unable
to take care of themselves.
Recent research has shown links between particular
genes and Alzheimer’s disease, but in about 90% of AD cases, there
is no clear genetic link. With the help of standardized diagnostics criteria,
physicians can now diagnosis AD with an accuracy of 85-90% once symptoms
occur. However, a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is
possible only through the examination of brain tissue at autopsy.
For more
information on Alzheimer's disease, go to National
Alzheimer's Association
Multi-Infarct
Dementia
Multi-infarct dementia or vascular dementia is a deterioration of mental
capacity caused by multiple strokes (infarcts) in the brain. These events
may be described as ministrokes, where small blood vessels in the brain
become blocked by blood clots, causing the destruction of brain tissue.
The onset of MID may seem relatively sudden, as it may take several strokes
for symptoms to appear.
These strokes may damage areas of the brain responsible
for a specific function as well as produce general symptoms of dementia.
As a result, MID is sometimes misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease.
MID is not reversible or curable, but detection of high blood pressure
and other vascular risk factors can lead to a specific treatment that
may modify MID progression.
For more
information on Multi-infarct dementia, go to www.ninds.nih.gov
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s is a disease affecting control of muscle activity, resulting
in tremors, stiffness and speech impediment. In late stages, dementia
can occur including Alzheimer’s disease. Parkinson drugs can improve
steadiness and control but have no effect on mental deterioration.
For more
information on Parkinson’s disease, go to
http://www.the-health-pages.com/resources/apda/
Huntington’s disease
is a hereditary
disorder characterized by irregular movements of the limbs and facial
muscles, a decline in thinking ability and personality changes. In contrast
to Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s can be positively diagnosed and
its movement disorders and psychiatric symptoms controlled with drugs.
The progressive nature of the disease cannot be stopped.
For more
information on Huntington’s disease, go to http://www.hdsa.org
Lewy
body disease
Lewy body disease has only been recognized in recent years. Its symptoms
are a combination of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Usually, dementia symptoms are initially present followed by the abnormal
movements associated with Parkinson’s. There is no treatment currently
available.
For more
information on Lewy body dementia, go to www.psychejam.com
Pick’s disease
Pick’s disease is a rare brain disease characterized by shrinkage
of the tissues of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain and by the
presence of abnormal bodies in the nerve cells of the affected areas of
the brain. It closely resembles Alzheimer’s with personality changes
and disorientating that may precede memory loss. As with Alzheimer’s,
diagnosis is difficult and can only be confirmed by autopsy.
For more
information on, go to Pick’s disease, go to www.nind.nih.gov
Normal
Pressure Hydrocephalus
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a rare disease caused by an obstruction
in the flow of spinal fluid. Symptoms include difficulty in walking, memory
loss and incontinence. NPH may be related to a history of meningitis,
encephalitis or brain injury. It is often corrected with surgery.
For more
information about normal pressure hydrocephalus, go to www.allaboutnph.com
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare, fatal brain disease caused by infection.
Symptoms are failing memory, changes in behavior and lack of muscular
coordination. CJD progresses rapidly, usually causing death within a year.
No treatment is currently available.
For more
information go to www.cjdfoundation.org
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