...Dementia Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning. This includes thinking, remembering and reasoning. Memory loss is usually accompanied by at least one of the following symptoms: impaired movement, difficulty with language and the inability to plan and initiate appropriate social behavior. Dementia ranges in severity from mild problems in functioning to the most severe stage of complete dependence. There are several types of dementia. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disease. It slows and destroys memory and thinking functions as well as the ability to complete even the simplest everyday tasks. Age related Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia in people over 60. The World Health Organization (2001) estimates that 5 percent of men and 6 percent of women suffer from Alzheimer’s disease worldwide (Whitbourne & Halgin, 2012). Throughout the coming decades the baby boom generation is expected to add 10 million Alzheimer’s cases to the U.S. population alone (Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, which causes issues with the thinking process, memory, and behavior. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s develop slowly and gets worse as time goes on. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s memory loss is very mild but as it progresses it starts disrupting their daily lives. Some of...
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...Dementia is a group of related symptoms associated with the gradual decline of the brain functioning. Dementia can affect a person’s mood, judgment, understanding, language, mental sharpness or quickness and also memory. As people get older memory loss is common because it associates within the symptoms of aging such as stress, tiredness and medications but sadly people who are in the later stages of adulthood (ages 65 onwards) are most likely to develop dementia. Dementia is considered to progress in there different stages: early, middle and later stage. In the early stage of dementia it affects an individual with small signs such as frequently forgetting the names of people and where they have placed items. Middle stage dementia becomes...
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...DEMENTIA’S Dementia is a vague term used to describe a person that has loss of memory and change in behavior and activities. It goes beyond the forgetfulness and absent minded. It is commonly used In reference to the elderly, when cognitive abilities start to slip from one’s own control. Dementia cannot be diagnosed due to memory loss alone. It must be accompanied by two or more interruptions of brain function. Individuals who suffer from a disease that causes dementia undergo a number of changes. Simple daily tasks such as dressing or bathing may also become a problem. Anything can be a cause for dementia, a stroke, a car accident or even another disease. Here, I will compare four most frequent causes of dementia with four least frequent causes. Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies. Dementia is often incorrectly referred to as "senility" or "senile dementia," which reflects the formerly widespread but incorrect belief that serious mental decline is a normal part of aging. Dementia is...
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...Dementia is a loss of mental function such as thinking, memory and reasoning that is severe enough to interfere with a person’s daily activity. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affect the brain. They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, and they could experience personality changes and behavioral problems such as agitation, delusions, and hallucinations. While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. We all forget things as we get older. Many older people have a slight loss of memory that does not affect their daily lives so doctors diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory, language skills, perception, or cognitive skills including reasoning and judgment. All forms of dementia result from the death of nerve cells and/or the loss of communication among these cells. Things that may cause dementia are Strokes, tumors, or head injuries. Some diseases that cause Dementia are Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia. In some cases dementia is caused by a problem that can be treated like underactive thyroid gland, not getting enough vitamin B12, and fluid buildup in the brain. Many types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's dementia, and Pick's disease, are characterized by abnormal structures called inclusions...
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...Understanding Alzheimer’s disease What Is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease is a neurologic disorder that affects the brain. It causes dementia. Its earliest and main symptom is steadily increasing memory loss. Problems with getting lost, language, and emotional control are also common. These deficits may worsen over five to 20 years. Treatments can help maintain thinking, memory, and speaking skills. No treatments can currently change or reverse the disease. But, there are many ways to help maintain quality of life. What Is the Difference between Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia? As the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease has improved, researchers now recognize that it is a process that can occur in people who initially have no symptoms. When Alzheimer’s disease causes very mild symptoms, the process is now referred to as mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease. When the symptoms begin to interfere with daily functioning, that phase of the illness is referred to as dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is a term that means the person has significant difficulty in daily life due to problems with thinking and memory. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. What Causes Alzheimer’s disease? The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not yet known. Some people may have genes that put them at higher risk for Alzheimer’s. Genetics is the likely cause when the disease strikes people in their 40s or 50s. But most people who get Alzheimer’s dementia...
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...Alzheimer’s disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Reversible and Irreversible Cognitive Disorders Carrie Steckl, Ph.D., edited by Natalie Staats Reiss, Ph.D. Introduction Often, mental health professionals classify cognitive disorders into two broad categories: those that are irreversible (i.e., not curable) and those that are reversible (i.e., curable). Dementias are irreversible, progressive, degenerative disorders that gradually reduce a person's ability to function in everyday life. A person with dementia cannot regain his or her previous level of functioning, even though some symptoms may be managed through treatment. Examples of irreversible dementias include Alzheimer's Disease, and Lewy Body Dementia, On the other hand, the progression of reversible cognitive disorders can be halted by identifying the cause of the symptoms and properly treating the underlying disorder. With appropriate treatment, a person's previous level of functioning can be restored. Examples of reversible cognitive disorders are pseudodementia and delirium, which will be described later. Reversible & Irreversible The types of reversible and irreversible disorders that we discuss is this topic center are classified as "Delirium, Dementia, and Amnestic and Other Cognitive Disorders" in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; the "gold standard" manual used by mental health professionals to diagnose disorders). However, as dementia is the most...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory This is a 8 page, 10 resource paper discussing Alzheimer’s disease, discussing the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes for a cure of the disease. Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et all, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et all, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of intellect, memory and orientation. As a neuropathologist, Alzheimer studied the case a 51 year-old woman. When she died, Alzheimer performed an autopsy and found that she had “cerebral atrophy”...
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...| | Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. The basics Symptoms Changes in the brain | | Plaques & tangles Research | | Alzheimer's and dementia basics * Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Bottom of Form * Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s. Learn more: Early Onset Alzheimer's and Risk Factors * Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range...
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...BEL311 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES TERM PAPER ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: NOT JUST A LOSS OF MEMORY Prepared by: XXXXXXXXX (matric no.) XXXXXXXXX (matric no.) Group XXX Prepared for: XXXXXXXXXXXX Date of Submission: July 2011 Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et al, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. This paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis, current researches and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration...
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...Dementia is a syndrome that affects twenty five percent of individuals over the age of eighty five. Dementia causes several cognitive deficits, such as; behavioral disturbance and a change in personality. dementia is directly linked to elderly suicide attempts. It is important for us to become educated on dementia and its signs so that it can be detected earlier. The sooner dementia is detected the sooner the patient can receive professional care. We must ask ourselves what can be done to help the elderly suffering from dementia? Is it dementia that causes elderly depression and even suicide attempts? There are many unanswered questions on dementia that with a little extra research could be answered. Dementia has been around since the dawn...
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...41 Dementia is seen in 5% of population over the age of 65 and about 30% after the age of 80. Dementia represents, after cancer and cardiac vascular disorders, the third most common cause of death. It is defined as a condition of chronic and progressive loss of intellectual abilities that is severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. Dementia refers to acquired global impairment of intellect, memory and personality (cognitive function) and is not a disease itself but rather a group of symptoms caused by the impact of diseased brain. It is usually chronic and progressive in nature and symptoms typically include problems with memory, speech and perception with disturbances of multiple higher cortical...
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...Running Head: DEMENTIA Dementia The many stages of dementia Crystal Pare University of Phoenix Worldwide, there are 35.6 million people diagnosed with dementia and climbs another 7.7 million each year, most cases, over the age of 65. Alzheimer’s, the most widely known symptom of dementia can be detected in a small amount of people, well before they are 65 years of age. There is, as of yet, no cure for Alzheimer’s disease (dementia), and the progressive range of organic brain diseases which are categorized by difficulties of short-term memory and other cognitive insufficiencies. There is very little in the way of treatment at this time, while scientists have been studying this disease for many years, and have started getting a better idea of the disease with constant successes. As dementia becomes more prevalent worldwide, proper diagnosis of the stages of dementia, each defined by its own distinct symptoms and behaviors, is key to providing effective treatment. Dementia is the loss of logical functions such as thinking, memory, and perception that is severe enough to inhibit with a person’s daily operations or functions. Dementia is not a group of symptoms alone, but somewhat a collection of symptoms caused by several diseases or ill conditions. Symptoms can include fluctuations in character, mood, and behavior. Some cases of dementia are treated and even cured because the source itself is correctable. Instances of this include dementia formed by substance...
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...40: Dementia Care P1: Describe types of dementia and common signs and symptoms. What is dementia? Dementia is a common condition that affects about 800,000 people in the UK. Your risk of developing dementia increases as you get older, and the condition usually occurs in people over the age of 65. Dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities. This includes problems with: * memory loss * thinking speed * mental agility * language * understanding * judgment People with dementia can lose interest in their usual activities, and have problems controlling their emotions. They may also find social situations challenging, lose interest in socializing, and aspects of their personality may change. A person with dementia may lose empathy (understanding and compassion), they may see or hear things that other people do not (hallucinations), or they may make false claims or statements. As dementia affects a person's mental abilities, they may find planning and organizing difficult. Being independent may also become a problem. A person with dementia will therefore usually need help from friends or relatives, including help with decision making. Most types of dementia can't be cured, but if it is detected early there are ways to slow it down and maintain mental function. Dementia is a collection of symptoms including memory loss, personality change, and impaired intellectual functions resulting from disease or trauma...
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...Dementia is progressive deterioration in intellectual function and other cognitive skills, leading to a decline in the ability to perform activities of daily living. Diagnosis is by history and physical examination. Potentially reversible causes of cognitive impairment (e.g., drugs, delirium, and depression) should be excluded. Treatment is with general measures and usually a cholinesterase inhibitor, memantine, or both (Lichtenberg, et al., 2003). The term 'dementia' is used to describe the symptoms of cognitive decline and normal sensorium that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke and many other rarer conditions. Dementia is not a disease itself but rather a group of symptoms that may accompany certain diseases or conditions. At this time, dementia is irreversible when caused by disease or injury but may be reversible when caused by drugs, alcohol, hormone or vitamin imbalances, or depression. The symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, confusion, and problems with speech and understanding. There is also the loss of intellectual functions (such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning) of sufficient severity to interfere with a person’s daily functioning. Symptoms may also include changes in personality, mood, and behavior. Dementia is also progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. Each person is unique and will experience dementia in their own way, including how fast...
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