|
ALZHEIMER'S TYPE DEMENTIA
Cause unknown - affects more women than men
The brain shows signs of atrophy, with marked degeneration of memory cells. there is a loss of short term memory but some preservation of long term memory.
The ability to make decisions is reduced and the persons personality becomes exaggerated. The person will become more absent minded and self centred.
They may begin to wander, easily getting lost. Their vocabulary becomes restricted with reduced use of words and words used more simply.
They may develop depression, their personal hygiene and self care may deteriorate and they may have a decreased life expectancy if living alone.
MULTI - INFARCT DEMENTIA
More common in men and starts at an earlier age than Senile dementia. Caused by multiple small blood clots in the brain over years. May have abrupt onset with clouding of consciousness due to infarct. Personality is often only slightly affected. the sufferer can be aware of the changes and can become depressed. mood swings are common.
DEMENTIA 2
WHAT IS DEMENTIA
1. Normal ageing - Perhaps 10% of the over 65's suffer from some degree of dementia, with perhaps as many as 20% of the over 80's, i.e. 80% of elderly people over 80 do not suffer from dementia.
2. Other types of mental illness - some of which are treatable.
3. Acute confusional states - May be the result or side effect of some physical disease. Confused state may improve if the underlying physical condition is treated.
WHAT CAUSES DEMENTIA
A number of different brain diseases give rise to dementia. Commonest is Alzheimer's disease. In Alzheimer's disease the brain may shrink overall to some extent. In severe cases this may be visible on a brain scan. The most distinctive changes in the brain can only be seen under a microscope after the sufferer has died. The chemicals that allow nerve cells to send messages to each other are also affected. Research shows that these changes are greatest in people with the most severe dementia.
The second most common cause of dementia is Multiple -infarct dementia sometimes called Arteriosclerotic dementia in the past. The patient suffers from lots of small strokes which block the blood supply to the brain, so that the brain cells die.
The terms PRESENILE and SENILE dementia just refer to the age of the patient when the dementia started, not the different diseases.
HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED
No single specific test has yet been discovered. Diagnosis made when there is definite intellectual failure and other causes have been ruled out. It can be very difficult to detect in the earlier stages, or if the sufferer is depressed as well. Dementia does not come on suddenly, so sudden intellectual deterioration needs to be investigated. True dementia may appear to come on suddenly after an accident or bereavement, but in reality the process in the brain is gradual, it may be that the partner of a dementia sufferer who dies was covering up the full extent of the sufferer's difficulties.
ADAPTIVE PARANOIA
In Dementia many people suffer from what is called Adaptive Paranoia. This is not an actual Paranoid Illness, but is a means by which the frightening implications of a deteriorating memory can be denied. Trying to make sense of the world through a mist of confusion and loss of memory can result in misunderstanding and inappropriate reactions. Making accusations against others to explain why articles have gone missing or why arrangements have been forgotten, can provide external sources of blame for the persons own errors and forgetfulness.
As such attempts to hide incompetence are early rather than late features of Dementia, the accusations may appear plausible.
DOES DEMENTIA AFFECT LIFE EXPECTANCY
People do not normally die directly from dementia, but average life expectancy for dementia sufferers is slightly less than for other people of the same age. The average survival time for people with symptoms of dementia seems to be about 5 year, but the range can be anything from 2 to 15 years.
|
|
