Symptoms of Dementia: Do You Know What They Are?
Learn about memory loss, difficulty retaining new information, problem solving, communication and personality changes, as well as how early detection and treatment can make a difference.
Symptoms of Dementia-Do You Know What to Look For?
Dementia: Understanding the Impact and Importance of Early Recognition
Dementia, a term encompassing memory loss, impaired cognition, and reduced social abilities, significantly affects individuals' daily lives. It is crucial to note that dementia is not a singular disease but a collection of symptoms resulting from various underlying conditions.
Memory loss is frequently an early indication of dementia, but it is important to differentiate between normal age-related memory decline and dementia-related symptoms, as there can be different causes for memory loss.
Among the potential causes of dementia, Alzheimer's disease ranks as the most prevalent in older adults. Nonetheless, it is vital to understand that there are multiple other causes of dementia, and depending on the underlying condition, some dementia symptoms may be reversible.
As our parents and elderly loved ones age, being aware of the signs and symptoms of dementia becomes paramount in distinguishing between the normal effects of aging and the onset of this devastating condition. While it is true that some dementia symptoms can be mistaken for those attributed to the natural aging process, it's essential to recognize that the progression of dementia symptoms is typically more rapid and greatly impairs an individual's ability to function.
Join us as we delve into the complexities surrounding dementia and highlight the importance of early recognition and support.
Learn the Symptoms of Dementia
If you are entrusted as the primary caregiver for an elderly or aging loved one, knowing about various dementia symptoms and the problems they create will make a huge difference. Early detection allows you to find treatment for them sooner rather than later and early treatment can postpone symptoms.
Symptoms
Dementia symptoms can vary based on their causes and present in different ways. Here are some common symptoms you may observe:
Cognitive Changes
Memory loss, usually noticeable by others.
Difficulty communicating or finding appropriate words.
Challenges with visual and spatial abilities, such as getting lost while driving.
Problems with reasoning, problem-solving, and performing complex tasks.
Trouble in planning, organizing, and coordinating movements.
Confusion, disorientation, and difficulty in maintaining focus.
Psychological Changes
Personality changes that may seem out of character.
Experience of depression, anxiety, and agitation.
Displaying inappropriate behavior.
Increased suspicion or paranoia.
Seeing things that aren't actually there, known as hallucinations.
Memory Loss
One of the most telltale symptoms of dementia is that a person may be suffering from short term memory loss. Commonly, during the first stages of the disease, the patient may begin to frequently lose track of what they are doing, misplace personal items or seem to forget details such as people’s names, their address, etc. While in the beginning, this forgetfulness will come and go, the dementia will eventually advance to the point that the patient will have a hard time recalling and utilizing simple mental skills that they have used all their lives.
Short term memory loss will progress into more severe memory loss and you may soon see that your loved one seems to lose their grip on reality from time to time. They may not recognize familiar surroundings or people, or they may think they are in a different time or place, which can be problematic and make care difficult.
Information Retention
A secondary side effect to the memory loss, another one of the symptoms of dementia, is the inability to learn new information. As dementia progresses, patients find it harder and harder, to retain newly acquired information such as people’s names or current events. Due to the fact that short term memory loss is such an issue, you should do your best not to expect your loved one to remember new people they have recently met or to take the meds their doctor prescribed them on their last visit without someone giving the medicine to them.
Problem Solving, Communicating and Organizing
Aside from memory loss, the signs of dementia often also affect a person’s ability to use reason and intelligence in order to solve simple problems, communicate with others or to organize ideas, items or events in a way that makes sense. This disease effects the brain in such a way that it decreases a person’s ability to think logically and use simple reasoning skills.
Communication can also be a problem in patients with advanced dementia as they may have issues forming cohesive thoughts and putting them into words. It is almost like a normal person having a thought and trying to communicate it in a foreign language. You know what you mean and what you want to say but your brain fails to provide you the correct words to attach to your thoughts, so that others can understand you.
Personality Changes, Paranoia, Agitation and Inappropriate Behavior
When a person is suffering from symptoms of dementia, sometimes your loved one is lucid and cognizant of their surroundings. Many patients often realize that something is wrong with their body; however, they will likely not understand that they have dementia, even if you have tried to explain it to them. The combination of symptoms from memory loss to a loss of communication ability can cause severe mood swings and agitation, even during times when the patient is lucid. You may also find that your loved one is more likely to act out in odd ways or display inappropriate behaviors that they would not otherwise engage in.
Another one of the difficult symptoms of dementia is paranoia. While not experienced by all patients, paranoia is often the result of a person who slips temporarily into a false state of reality where they may not know where they are, or who they or you are. Not being able to recognize the people and things around them may scare them and they may see you as a threat or think that someone is going to harm them.
If you begin recognizing symptoms of dementia in your elderly parents or loved ones, it is imperative that you have them see their doctor as soon as possible. While no cure for the disease is available yet, innovations in medicines and therapies can help slow down the progression of the disease and help make the lives of both the patient and the caregiver just a bit easier.
Causes Of Dementia
Dementia is caused by damage to or loss of nerve cells and their connections in the brain. The symptoms depend on the specific area of the brain that is affected. Dementia can affect individuals in different ways, making each experience unique.
Dementias are often classified based on common factors. They can be grouped by the protein or proteins that are deposited in the brain or by the specific region of the brain that is affected. In addition, some diseases may exhibit symptoms similar to dementia, and certain medications can cause reactions that include dementia-like symptoms. Deficiencies in certain vitamins or minerals can also contribute to dementia symptoms, which may improve with proper treatment.
Progressive dementias
Progressive dementias are characterized by a gradual worsening of symptoms over time. Types of dementias that fall under this category and are not reversible include:
Alzheimer's disease: This is the most common cause of dementia. While the exact causes of Alzheimer's disease are not fully understood, experts have identified certain gene changes that can increase the risk. These genetic variations, such as the apolipoprotein E4 (APOE) gene, can be inherited from parents. In individuals with Alzheimer's disease, the presence of plaques (clumps of beta-amyloid protein) and tangles (fibrous masses composed of tau protein) in the brain can damage healthy brain cells and their connections.
Vascular dementia: This type of dementia is caused by damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. Problems with blood vessels can lead to stroke or affect the brain in other ways, such as damaging the white matter fibers in the brain. Common symptoms of vascular dementia include difficulties with problem-solving, slowed thinking, and challenges with focus and organization, which are often more noticeable than memory loss.
Lewy body dementia: Lewy bodies are abnormal clumps of protein that can be found in the brains of individuals with Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Lewy body dementia is one of the more prevalent types of dementia. Common symptoms include acting out dreams during sleep, experiencing visual hallucinations, and facing problems with focus and attention. Other signs can include uncoordinated or slow movements, tremors, and stiffness, similar to parkinsonism.
Frontotemporal dementia: an intricate group of diseases that disrupt the function of nerve cells and connections in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These crucial areas are responsible for shaping personality, behavior, and language. The symptoms encompass diverse facets, affecting behavior, personality, cognition, judgment, language, and motor skills.
Mixed dementia: fascinating findings from autopsies of individuals aged 80 and above, who had dementia, reveal a combination of multiple causes. People with mixed dementia may experience Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia simultaneously. Extensive research aims to unravel the impact of mixed dementia on symptoms and potential treatments.
Other disorders linked to dementia:
Huntington's disease: A genetic alteration leads to the degeneration of specific nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Cognitive skills decline in individuals affected, with symptoms usually emerging between the ages of 30 and 40.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Often caused by repeated head trauma, TBI primarily affects those involved in contact sports, such as boxers, football players, and soldiers. Dementia symptoms vary depending on the location of the brain injury, including depression, explosive behavior, memory loss, impaired speech, as well as motor symptoms like slow movement, tremors, and stiffness. Sometimes, symptoms may not surface until years after the trauma.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: A rare brain disorder typically found in individuals without known risk factors. It is thought to be associated with the accumulation of prion proteins. Symptoms of this fatal condition generally manifest after the age of 60.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, although often idiopathic, can be inherited or linked to exposures such as tainted brain or nervous system tissue, for instance, through a cornea transplant.
Parkinson's disease: Many individuals with Parkinson's disease eventually develop dementia symptoms, referred to as Parkinson's disease dementia.
Let's journey into the intriguing world of dementia and understand its diverse complexities together.
Risk Factors: What You Need to Know
Dementia can be influenced by multiple factors, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Let's delve into the key factors:
Factors beyond your control:
Age: As you grow older, especially after 65, the risk of dementia increases. Remember, aging itself does not equate to dementia, and it can affect individuals of all ages.
Family History: Having a family history of dementia raises your risk, though it doesn't guarantee its development. Genetic tests can determine if specific genetic changes increase your susceptibility.
Down Syndrome: By middle age, individuals with Down syndrome commonly experience early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Factors within your control:
Diet and Exercise: Research shows that adopting a healthy lifestyle can lower the risk of cognitive decline in individuals predisposed to dementia. A diet rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, and oils, combined with regular exercise, cognitive training, and social engagement, can make a positive difference. Although there's no single diet to reduce dementia risk, a Mediterranean-style diet high in produce, whole grains, nuts, and seeds promotes better cognitive function.
Alcohol Consumption: Excessive alcohol intake is known to cause brain alterations. Numerous studies have linked alcohol use disorders to an increased risk of dementia, particularly early-onset dementia.
Cardiovascular Health: Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis (the buildup of fats in artery walls), diabetes, and smoking are all cardiovascular risk factors. Poorly controlled diabetes and smoking can elevate dementia risk, as can conditions that impact the heart and blood vessels.
Depression: Late-life depression may serve as an indicator of looming dementia, although the connection is not yet fully understood.
Air Pollution: Studies indicate that air pollution, particularly from traffic exhaust and burning wood, can heighten the risk of dementia. Animal research suggests that air pollution particulates accelerate nervous system degeneration.
Head Trauma: Did you know that people who have experienced a severe head trauma are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease? Several large studies have shown that individuals aged 50 and older who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's. The risk is even greater for those who have had multiple and more severe TBIs. Interestingly, the risk seems to be highest within the first six months to two years after the TBI.
Sleep problems: Did you know that sleep apnea and other sleep disturbances could increase the risk of dementia? It's true! If you have any sleep-related issues, you might want to monitor your risk of developing dementia.
Low levels of certain vitamins and nutrients: Did you know that having low levels of vitamin D, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and folate can increase the risk of dementia? It's important to ensure you're getting enough of these vitamins to maintain a healthy brain.
Medicines that can worsen memory: Did you know that some medicines, such as sleep aids containing diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and medications used to treat urinary urgency like oxybutynin (Ditropan XL), can actually worsen your memory? If you're taking any of these medications, it may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional if there are alternatives that won't have such an impact on your memory. Additionally, it's advisable to limit the use of sedatives and sleeping tablets as they can also affect your memory.
Take care of your brain health and have a chat with a healthcare professional to understand how certain medications and lifestyle factors may impact your memory.
By understanding these risk factors and taking proactive steps, you can empower yourself in the fight against dementia.
Sources
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131/DSECTION=symptoms
http://www.medicinenet.com/dementia/article.htm
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dementia_overview/page3_em.htm
http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/tc/dementia-symptoms
http://www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_dementias_types.htm
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Diane Carbo
