Underground Journal

Different types of Dementia

Dementia constitutes a wide range of illnesses that cause a gradual decline in a person’s cognitive function.  It is marked by memory disorders changes in personality, deterioration in personal care, impaired reasoning ability, and disorientation.

Most of the people that are affected with different types of dementia are the aged, but it is important to keep in mind that signs of dementia are not part of the aging process.  More often than not, forgetfulness is attributed as part of being old, when in fact it could be one of the early signs of dementia.  Although this medical condition is common, it has increased tremendously in recent years among the elderly.

Sometimes, when dementia is cause by multiple disorders, it is often called Mixed Dementia.  However, there are several types of dementia, and each has its own contributing factors that lead to the disease.

Let’s start with the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease.  It accounted for 50% of all cases.  It is a degenerative disease that attacks the brain.  In the center of the cells, abnormal materials accumulate as ‘tangles’ while plaques build up outside the cells.  As a result, the brain cells are damage causing disruption of messages within the brain.

Vascular dementia is the second most common.  It is associated with blood circulation problems in the brain, like in the case of stroke patients.  There are different types of vascular dementia, but the two most common are: Multi-infarct dementia and Binswanger’s disease or Subcortical vascular dementia.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare and fatal brain disorder caused by viruses called prions.  The disease progression is rapid.  There is pronounced mental deterioration, problems with coordination, vision, weakness in the lower and upper extremities, and finally lapse into coma.

Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive disorder of the Central Nervous System affecting balance and motor skills. It is characterized by tremors, rigidity in limbs and joints.  Late in the disease course, cognitive function is affected leading to dementia.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies is due to the degeneration and death of nerve cells called lewy bodies inside the cells.  The person with this illness suffers from visual hallucination or experience a parkinsonism.

Huntington’s Disease is an inherited degenerative brain disease causing uncontrolled movements, emotional disturbance and loss of intellectual faculties.

Alcohol related dementia or Korsakoff’s syndrome is a preventable type of dementia.  It is a result of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency and often chronic.

AIDS related dementia or AIDS dementia complex (ADC) is the destruction of the structure and brain tissues that resulted to dementia.  It is a complicated condition composed different nervous system and psychological symptoms than develop in some HIV infected people.

Despite all the research and studies conducted by medical experts, there is still no treatment or preventive measure against dementia.

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