Risk Factors for Dementia
Dementia is an increasingly common health issue, especially among seniors of age 65 and above. In addition, because women tend to live longer than men by an average of about five years, dementia affects women more often.
Dealing with dementia can be a traumatic experience not only for the individual with the corrosive condition, but also for the family and loved ones who watch as their familiar and beloved relative becomes disassociated with life and seems to lose the ability to recognize even those they are close to.
One should keep in mind, though, that this state is not necessarily physically painful, and quality of life is not necessarily negatively impacted by the onset of the disease. Proper care and the treatment of a professional can help ensure the comfort of a person with dementia.
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Risk Factors
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Dementia is primarily present in the elderly. The risk of development rises dramatically with age. After the age of 80, the likelihood of developing the diseases associated with dementia is significantly heightened. According to the Mayo Clinic, the rate of dementia in people over age 85 is about 50 percent.
There are suggestions that alcohol use, when extremely heavy, can lead to the development of dementia diseases later in life, British psychiatrist Jane Marshall told Britain's "The Observer" newspaper for a May 10, 2009 story.
Athletes who take a pounding on their frontal skulls can develop dementia-like symptoms that result in the traumatizing of the frontal lobe. Soccer players and boxers may want to screen for dementia symptoms earlier in life due to the rigors of their sport, according to an Oct. 2, 2008, article in "Neurology Today."
Genetic predisposition is also believed to play a role in whether dementia develops, according to Britain's Alzheimer's Society. Even in cases where a disposition to dementia is evident, the condition does not always develop.
Diet, specifically insulin deficiency, has been suggested to be a sign of potential development of dementia, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Kinds of Dementia
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There are many different causes of dementia in humans. Usually it is the result of an age-related condition or damage to the brain. Many diseases cite dementia as a symptom, some however are more serious than others. Many dementia related diseases are extremely rare, such as Pick's disease and Lewy body disease, the Mayo Clinic says. Alzheimer's, however, is increasingly common, according to researcher Lawrence S. Goldstein, and is expected to affect more and more people as the human life span becomes longer with medical advancements.
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Alzheimer's Disease
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Known to affect primarily the elderly, symptoms are said to appear around or after the age of 60. The disease affects memory throughout the brain, corroding memories, skills and basic thinking. By the late stages of the disease, a patient may not be able to care for themselves in fundamental ways.
Nurses and professional at-home care may be essential for anyone living with the late stages of this disease. Alzheimer's disease is currently not curable, but progress in treatment can slow the effects of detrimental symptoms, according to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research. The disease twists, confuses and tangles imperative communication fibers in the brain, cutting off important information pathways and leading to the patient's forgetfulness and cognitive impairment.
Parkinson's Disease
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Like Alzheimer's, this disease is primarily seen in those over a certain age. With this disorder, most cases develop or are recorded past the age of 50. Although dementia is not a primary symptom of Parkinson's disease, the same brain functions that are interrupted in Alzheimer's disease can accompany Parkinson's, but the development of a cognitive impairment of this kind usually comes 10 to 20 years after Parkinson's becomes evident, according to an April 3, 2003, article in the "New England Journal of Medicine."
Vascular Dementia
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This is the second most-common form of dementia, after Alzheimer's. Stoke can be a warning sign of this condition as the most common form of vascular dementia attacks the brain through a serious of "mini-strokes," which block blood flow and can, over time, wear the brain down to the point of significant impairment, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, because this process is slow and signified by these mini strokes, catching the condition early is possible and once caught, treatment can be effective in slowing and reducing the severity of the illness.
A mini stroke can be recognized by a temporary lapse of consciousness or brief visual impairment. The incident might not feel especially threatening, but if they occur with regularity it is important to meet with a neurologist for preliminary tests.
Blood blockages in the brain can also bring about this condition, so diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity could signify the potential for this disorder to develop.
Lewy Body Dementia
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Lewy body dementia is another name for the dementia that can accompany Parkinson's disease, according to the National Institutes of Health's Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). It is caused by a buildup of proteins that adversely effect the brain. Not all Parkinson's patients have this dementia. It is characterized by hallucination, which can be hues of colors, or fully realized conversations that never occur, slowed movement, increased stiffness, confusion, memory loss and the increase of mid-sleep reactions.
Pick's Disease
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Thought to be a primarily genetic condition, Pick's disease has a typical onset between ages 55 and 65. It is thought to be related to Alzheimer's disease although the progression of Pick's Disease is much quicker and the effects more obvious in early stages, according to NINDS.
Pick's Disease attacks the frontal lobes of the brain and can cause socially inappropriate behaviors like abnormal aggression or increased sexual desire. Sufferers may become depressed early on, and sever linguistic/communication problems often develop as a result of the disease.
Men are typically more affected than women.
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