DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER DISEASE

  
  WHAT IS DEMENTIA?  
 

The term dementia refers to a general decline in mental functioning. Dementia (sometimes inappropriately called senility) is a group or cluster of symptoms which is characterised by both short-term and long-term memory loss.

 
  Other changes which may occur include:  
 
personality changes  
loss of judgement and reasoning  
changes in mood and behaviour  
loss of abstract thinking abilities  
difficulty understanding and/or using language  
confusion and disorientation  
difficulty with organisation  
 
 

Dementia develops slowly over several months or years and is usually a chronic, progressive condition. Dementia is characterised by changes in mental functioning, rather than by the presence of specific problems. If someone has always had a poor memory this does not mean that he or she has a dementia.

 
  What Causes Dementia?  
 

Some forms of dementia are reversible, that is, they can be treated. Other forms of dementia are irreversible, meaning that they cannot be treated. Whether a dementia is reversible or irreversible depends on what is causing the symptoms.

 
 
Reversible dementias may result from Irreversible dementias may occur as a result of
 
 
infections
Alzheimer Disease
metabolic imbalances multiple strokes (called multi-infarct dementia)
anaemia Lewy body disease
dehydration or malnutrition Huntington’s Disease
heart disease Pick’s Disease
hypo- or hyper-thyroidism advanced Multiple Sclerosis
alcohol abuse advanced Parkinson’s Disease
problems with some types of medications advanced AIDS
depression tumours
tumours  
 
 

Finding out what is causing the dementia-like symptoms allows individuals to understand the source of the symptoms and get the proper care, treatment and support. It is very important, therefore, that people who develop symptoms of a dementia see a physician for a thorough medical evaluation.