Dementia – Memory Loss | Weakening of Memory | Brain Functions

• 10th March 2015

Dementia is not a single disease but a term used to describe group of brain disorders that involve total or partial memory loss, weakening of thinking abilities and other brain functions.

Types of Dementia

1. Alzheimer’s Disease

Symptoms: The most relevant symptom is memory loss. Other symptoms are

• Poor judgmental capabilities
• Poor planning and management capabilities
• Mood swings
• Personality changes
• Confusion about dates, days, even years
• Difficulty in speaking
• Difficulty in writing

2. Parkinson’s disease dementia: This type of dementia is caused to the patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease
3. Vascular Dementia: Majorly caused by stroke by which the brain gets affected

Symptoms: The most relevant symptoms are poor planning, management, decision making and organizational capabilities. Other symptoms are

• Mood swings
• Personality changes
• Getting irritated often
• Difficulty in speaking or understanding other’s speech
• Falling off frequently
• Problem in walking
• Disruption in memory

4. Mixed Dementia: This type of dementia is a weird combination of Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

5. Fronto-temporal Dementia:

Symptoms: The most relevant symptoms are poor planning, management, decision making and organizational capabilities. Other symptoms are

• Mood swings
• Personality changes
• Speaking difficulty
• Physical balance problems
• Muscle spasms
• Vocabulary problems

6. Hungtington’s Disease: This type of dementia is a result of genetic problem. It’s hereditary. This type of dementia shows its symptoms in between 30-50 years of age

Symptoms:

• Difficulty in concentration
• Memory problems
• Poor planning and organizational abilities
• Poor judgmental abilities
• Poor reasoning capabilities

7. Creutzfeldt – Jakob Disease: This is a rare type of dementia where the brain takes abnormal shapes. It shows up all of a sudden and gets worse quickly.

Symptoms:

• Difficulty in concentration
• Memory problems
• Poor judgmental abilities
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Problems in sleeping
• Muscle spasms
• Problem in walking

8. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: This type of dementia is caused due to accumulation of fluid in the brain.

Symptoms:

• Difficulty in concentration
• Problem in walking
• Mood swings
• Personality changes

9. Wernicke – Korsakoff Syndrome: This type of dementia is caused by excessive shortage of vitamin B1 i.e. Thiamine. The most relevant symptom in this case is problem with memory.

 Treatment:  The most important treatment in case of dementia is care.  Dementia patients may need regular medical care and it is best to be in touch with specialist doctors and follow the advice.

It is advisable to undergo health checks atleast one a year for healthy people and for people sufferings from diabetes, blood pressure and other health related problems need to take prescribed medicines, get required health checks done and also follow medical advice to prevent damage of any organ in the body that may result in many a complications directly or laterally.

Dementia Awareness Article by Desun Hospital and Heart Institute

• ByDesun Hospital