What is Dementia
Dementia doesn’t refer to one specific disease; the term dementia is used for a set of symptoms that affect the human brain and its cognitive functioning, such as thinking, talking, and remembering. It affects the person’s ability to do routine life tasks that they were able to do easily. Dementia can be developed when nerve cells in the brain are unable to work properly, lose connection with the rest of the nerve cells or die. There are various subtypes of dementia; each type affects the nerve cells of specific brain areas.
Dementia only affects Older People?
Dementia is more common in older people, but it doesn’t only affect older people. Although age is the biggest factor in dementia, that doesn’t mean young people cannot develop it. People in their 40s, 50s, or even their 20s and 30s can also have dementia. It is called young-onset dementia. More than 28,000 people in Canada have young-onset dementia (their ages are less than 65 years).
Dementia is part of the Natural Aging Process?
Dementia is not caused by aging; the natural aging process is different from dementia. It gets severe over time, to the point where patients are unable to live a normal life and take care of themselves. 40% of people after the age of 65 experience some kind of memory loss that is because of natural aging. Memory loss caused by natural aging does not affect daily life activities, and people have the ability to complete the tasks normally. Natural aging does not cause difficulty remembering and learning new things.
13 Signs and Symptoms of Dementia
Dementia affects each person differently depending on their lifestyle, age, family history, and other underlying health conditions. Here are 13 common symptoms of dementia that most people face:
- Difficulty in doing a familiar task
- Changes in mood and behavior
- Problems in communicating and following conversations.
- Misplacing things
- Confusion on Time and Place
- Changes in personality
- Withdrawal from social activities
- Difficulty in decision-making and problem-solving
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Trouble performing day-to-day activities
- Misjudging the distance between objects
- Losing interest in other people’s emotions
- Feelings of anxiousness and anger
Type of Dementia
There are different types and stages of dementia. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. The common types are lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, mixed dementia, and vascular dementia.
Alzheimer’s Dementia
Alzheimers is developed due to protein buildup in brain cells, resulting in message transmission by brain cells. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s worsen as time passes, early symptoms include memory loss. Later on, symptoms like delusions, hallucinations, loss of sleep, etc.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is the second-most common type after Alzheimer’s. Insufficient blood supply, could be due to damage or some disease, such as stroke, leading to vascular dementia. affects the ability to think and do daily life tasks.
Lewy body Dementia
Lewy body dementia is caused by abnormal protein clumps called lewy bodies. These lewy bodies can disturb sleep patterns, the ability to move and think, and may cause hallucinations.
Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) covers several types of dementia that mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It is also caused by abnormal protein buildup. Different types of FTD have different symptoms.
Mixed Dementia
Mixed dementia refers to more than one type of dementia. The most common types of mixed dementia are Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. It has been discovered through research that mixed dementia is not usually diagnosed instantly and efficiently. Depending on which two types are mixed, different parts of the brain are affected, and symptoms may vary.
13 Risk Factors and Prevention
Various factors can increase the risk of dementia. The most common are listed below:
- Smoking
- Age (people over age of 65 years)
- Hypertension or High blood pressure
- Diabetes or High Sugar
- Overweight
- Consumption of Alcohol
- Depression
- Social isolation
- Head Injuries
- Lazy or not being active
- Poor Lifestyle
- Poor Diet
- Genetics
While these are the common factors that increase the risk of dementia, it is not necessary that every person with these risk factors develop dementia. However, opting for a healthy lifestyle, avoiding heavy alcohol consumption and smoking, being physically active, and minimizing exposure to the other mentioned risk factors can reduce the risk of developing dementia.
Cure of Dementia
There is no known treatment or cure for dementia till now. Researchers and scientists in Canada are working day and night to find the cure for it. Along with no information about treatment or cure, experts have no information about how dementia can be prevented. It is not preventable and is progressive.
Conclusion
Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease affecting the brain functions of a person, such as thinking, talking, and remembering. The most common symptom of dementia is the inability to perform daily life tasks. It is most common in older people, but it can also be developed at a young age. Dementia is usually progressive, and its symptoms worsen as time passes. While there is a lot of research already done on the symptoms,risk factors, and types of the disease, what causes dementia is still unknown. Dementia is a common disease in Canada; half a million people in Canada are currently suffering from Alzheimer or some other types of dementia. Living healthy lifestyles, eating a better diet, staying physically active, and seeking instant medical attention when required can decrease the chances of developing dementia.
Legal Disclaimer
This blog is solely intended for informational and educational purposes; any information used in the blog should not be considered medical advice. In case of any health concerns, it is advised to urgently seek medical help.
