| Dementia is profound and progressive decline in | | | | Alzheimer's type, and 27-60% incidence rate in |
| memory accompanied by problems in one or | | | | multi-infarct dementia). Often these delusions take |
| more additional areas of cognition. Person with | | | | the form of monothematic delusions, like mirrored |
| dementia usually starts by having frequent | | | | self-misidentification. |
| short-term memory problems. | | | | Elderly people can also react with dementia-like |
| Particularly affected areas may be memory, | | | | symptoms to surgery, infections, sleep |
| attention, language and problem solving, although | | | | deprivation, irregular food intake, dehydration, |
| particularly in the later stages of the condition, | | | | loneliness, change in domicile or personal crises. |
| person with dementia may be disoriented in time, | | | | This is called delirium, and many if not most |
| not knowing what day, week, month or year it is, | | | | dementia patients also have a delirium on top of |
| not knowing where they are not knowing who | | | | the physiologial dementia, adding to the |
| they are. | | | | symptoms. The delirium can go away or greatly |
| Symptoms of dementia can be classified as either | | | | improve when treated with tender care, improved |
| reversible or irreversible depending upon the | | | | food and sleeping habits, but this does not affect |
| etiology of the disease. Less than 10% of all | | | | the alterations in the brain. Affected persons may |
| dementias are reversible. These symptoms can | | | | also show signs of psychosis or depression. It is |
| progress rapidly within two to three years. | | | | important to be able to differentiate between |
| Dementia is not a mere loss of memory, but the | | | | delirium and dementia. |
| loss of a person’s mind as a whole. A dozen | | | | Proper differential diagnosis between the types of |
| different ailments, including cancer, stroke, major | | | | dementia will require, at the least, referral to a |
| depression, hypothyroidism, vitamin deficiency, | | | | specialist, e.g. a geriatric internist, geriatric |
| Parkinson’s disease, and AIDS, can all lead to | | | | psychiatrist or neurologist. However, there are |
| dementia. | | | | some brief 5-15 minute tests that have good |
| Early symptoms of dementia often consist in | | | | reliability and can be used in the office or other |
| changes in personality, or in behavior. Often | | | | setting to evaluate cognitive status. |
| dementia can be first evident during an episode of | | | | Except for the treatable types listed above, there |
| delirium. There is a higher prevalence of eventually | | | | is no cure to dementia, although scientists are |
| developing dementia in individuals who experience | | | | progressing in making a type of medication that |
| an acute episode of confusion while hospitalized. | | | | will slow down the process. |
| Dementia can affect language, comprehension, | | | | Disclaimer - The information presented here |
| motor skills, short-term memory, ability to identify | | | | should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you |
| commonly used items, reaction time, personality | | | | or someone you know suffers from Dementia, |
| traits, and executive functioning. Even without | | | | please consult your physician for the latest |
| signs of general intellectual decline, delusions are | | | | treatment options. |
| common in dementia (15-56% incidence rate in | | | | |