Dementia is an illness characterized by a group of symptoms that affect memory, as well as thinking and social abilities. The symptoms of this illness can have a significant impact on one’s daily life to an extent where they may even have to write down their own number and address in case they forget. This condition can have adverse effects on life. So, dementia patients need extra care and management.

This article highlights the causes, symptoms, and risk factors of dementia.

Causes

Damage or loss of nerve cells or part of nerve cells can contribute to this chronic illness. The nerves in the brain are connected to the nervous system that gives the body signals to do any chore or thinking. When the specific cells and nerves responsible for memory are damaged, they can cause one or a group of diseases that lead to dementia. The most common causes of dementia include Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Frontotemporal dementia.

Lesser-known diseases that may lead to dementia include Huntington’s disease, Leukoencephalopathies, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, multiple sclerosis (MS), or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Multiple-system atrophy, and late-stage infections such as syphilis.

Also, dementia is a disease that can be inherited from parents and may start showing signs at an older age. That said, it’s important to get necessary tests done to know if one has a chance of developing dementia or to know the stage if it is already progressing. Earlier diagnosis can help manage the progress of the disease as it’s impossible to reverse the effect of brain damage.

Common forms of dementia

Many neurodegenerative disorders and factors contribute to this progressive disease. These types of disorders result in progressive and irreversible loss of neurons, which significantly hampers brain function.

Alzheimer’s disease

This is one of the most common forms of dementia, which starts showing signs of onset in phases. Alzheimer’s is caused due to gene mutations, and one significant gene that increases risk includes apolipoprotein E4 (APOE). Alzheimer’s patients have plaques and tangles made up of tau protein, causing the brain cells and neurons to not work optimally.

Vascular dementia

This type of dementia occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain are damaged. This kind of problem may also be responsible for strokes and may damage the fibers in the white matter of the brain.

Lewy body dementia

In this type, patients develop balloon-like clumps of protein in the brain that cause damage to the brain cells. This type is characterized by symptoms like acting out one’s dreams while asleep, poor focus and attention, tremors, and uncoordinated or slow movements.

Frontotemporal dementia

This disease is characterized by the breakdown of nerve cells and their connections present in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These parts of the brain are responsible for language, behavior, and personality. That said, the symptoms usually affect these aspects of the patient’s personality.

Mixed dementia

People with dementia quite possibly may have a group of diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia. Having grouped diseases increases the intensity of the symptoms and requires multiple treatment methods.

Symptoms of dementia

The symptoms of this progressive disease vary from case to case, depending on the stage of dementia. However, below listed are some common symptoms patients face:

Cognitive symptoms

• Poor judgment and confusion
• Memory loss, first noticed by someone else
• Difficulty communicating effectively
• May not be able to multitask or handle difficult tasks
• Coordination and motor functions may be hampered
• Wandering in a familiar neighborhood
• Trouble handling bills and money
• Repeating questions
• Reading and writing become challenging

Psychological symptoms

• Hallucinations, delusions, or paranoia
• Impulsive behavior and anxiety
• Personality changes
• Insensitive towards others
• Agitation
• Losing interest in work and daily chores
• Depression
• Mood swings

Risk factors of dementia

There is yet no determined cause of dementia. However, there are many risk factors that increase one’s chances of developing this disease.

• Poor diet and lack of exercise
• Heart diseases
• Poorly managed diabetes
• Smoking
• Excessive air pollution
• Sleep apnea or sleep disturbances
• Low levels of vitamin D, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and folate
• Depression

Lifestyle changes to prevent dementia

One must try to inculcate a healthy lifestyle with good food and activities to keep you busy. Besides, focus on quality sleep and find ways to sleep well naturally without relying on any over-the-counter sleeping aids. Indulge in hobbies and activities that keep your brain and physique healthy and optimally working. These are some easy ways to prevent dementia that can occur with aging.