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Dementia (from Latin de- "apart, away" + mens (genitive mentis) "mind")

Dementia is a progressive deterioration in a person's functioning. The most common cause is Alzheimer's disease but there are other causes. Common early symptoms include memory loss, confusion, personality changes, apathy and withdrawal.

A correct diagnosis is important

A correct diagnosis is important Consulting a Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS) clinic or doctor to obtain a diagnosis is critical at an early stage.

A complete medical and psychological assessment may identify a treatable condition and ensure that it is treated correctly, or it may confirm the presence of dementia.

Such an assessment might include the following:

A detailed medical history, provided - if possible - by the person with the symptoms and a close relative or friend. This helps to establish whether there is a slow or sudden onset of symptoms and their progression.

Understanding Dementia

Dementia or Simple Forgetfulness?

With age comes the tendency to forget things. As people grow older, names or facts often take longer to recall. Recounting a story or event takes more effort. Verbal pauses become more common as senior citizens take a few extra moments to remember what they were trying to say or to accurately recall some forgotten detail. Such bouts with memory lapse are not uncommon. Simple forgetfulness is part of life for most elderly individuals.

But, in some cases, memory loss is far more serious than simply forgetting the name of an acquaintance or having trouble recalling a conversation one had recently. For many Americans, recurring memory loss can be the first signs of dementia. Diagnosed in roughly thirty-five percent of Americans

Types of Dementia

Dementia, in and of itself, is not a disease but rather a "syndrome." A syndrome is a group of symptoms that occur simultaneously (together) and chronically (over a long period of time). In dementia, symptoms may be more obvious on some days rather than others but, as a rule, once a symptom occurs it can be expected reoccur in the future. The majority of dementias are age-related, meaning that they occur in older individuals.

The symptoms of dementia are related to a decline in the victim's so-called cognitive functions. These functions include processes such as short and long term memory, reasoning ability, or the ability to understand new information. Although there are many different etiologies (causes) of dementia, the syndrome can be categorized based on the general area of the central nervous system that is being affected: the cerebral cortex or the subcortical structures.

Dementia: Loss of Cognitive Ability

Dementia is loss of cognitive ability in a person either due to global brain injury or some disease that results in memory loss. If it occurs before the age of 65 then it is known as early onset dementia. The word dementia comes from a Latin word meaning madness. It can be considered as a non-specific illness syndrome where the areas of brain concerned with memory, language, attention and problem solving are severely affected. About six months are required for the disease to be diagnosed and in later stages the affected persons may become disoriented in time. Dementia is treatable up to a certain degree but as the disease advance the symptoms become incurable. The symptoms of the disease may or may not be reversible and it depends upon the etiology of the disease.

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Welcome to Dementia.cc

A correct diagnosis is important

Understanding Dementia

Types of Dementia

Dementia: Loss of Cognitive Ability