What is Dementia?
Article by Faisal Naqvi
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe various conditions which damage brain cells and lead to a loss of brain function over time. Dementia causes a progressive decline in a person’s mental functioning. It is a broad term, which describes a loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and normal emotional reactions.
A diagnosis of dementia can create feelings of anger, fear, and anxiety. A person in the early stage of the illness should seek emotional support from family, friends, and perhaps a counsellor experienced in working with people who have dementia. Professional counselling may help the person accept the diagnosis and develop coping strategies.If the condition is diagnosed early, people with mild dementia can be involved with their doctor and caregivers in planning for the future and organizing the home and daily tasks.
Dementia progresses at different rates in different people, so a person may have many months, or even years, of stable functioning. People with dementia may be able to stay mentally and physically active for years.
Causes Of Dementia
If the oxygen supply to the brain fails, brain cells may die. The symptoms of vascular dementia can occur either suddenly, following a stroke, or over time, through a series of small strokes this is called Vascular Dementia.Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is a loss of mental function that can prevent a person from performing daily tasks. Vascular dementia, caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain, is the second most common type of dementia. Lewy body dementia is similar to Alzheimer’s disease, but the relationship between the two is not well understood.This form of dementia gets its name from tiny spherical structures that develop inside nerve cells. Their presence in the brain leads to the degeneration of brain tissue called Dementia with lewy bodies.In fronto-temporal dementia, damage is usually focused in the front part of the brain. Personality and behaviour are initially more affected than memory. This is called Fronto-temporal DementiaKorsakoff’s syndrome – This is a brain disorder that is usually associated with heavy drinking over a long period. Although it is not strictly speaking a dementia, people with the condition experience loss of short term memory.Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) – Prions are infectious agents that attack the central nervous system and then invade the brain, causing dementia. The best-known prion disease is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or CJD.HIV-related cognitive impairment – People with Aids sometimes develop cognitive impairment, particularly in the later stages of their illnessMild cognitive impairment – Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a relatively recent term, used to describe people who have some problems with their memory but do not actually have dementia.Rarer causes of dementia – There are many other rarer causes of dementia, including progressive supranuclear palsy and Binswanger’s disease. People with multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease can also be at an increased risk of developing dementia.
When a person with dementia finds that their mental abilities are declining, they often feel vulnerable and in need of reassurance and support. The people closest to them – including their carers, friends and family – need to do everything they can to help the person to retain their sense of identity and feelings of self-worth.Dementia Care provided at the right stage with consultation of Doctor and in the supervision of licensed carers can help & give mental support to people with dementia.
About the Author
I am Faisal Naqvi. Graduate in Bachelor Of Pharmacy