eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

  • Bookmark and Share

Dementia

    Dementia Editor's Picks

    • What Is Dementia?

      Dementia is a condition comprised of multiple cognitive impairments caused by brain cells that were damaged as a result of a physical medical condition. The elderly are most vulnerable to developing dementia and it is the most common cause of Alzheimer's disease. Other causes include head injury, stroke or brain tumor. Unfortunately,... more »

    • How to Identify Dementia

      Dementia is a degenerative disease of the brain that progresses over time. If you don't get immediate help when you start noticing symptoms of dementia, treatment becomes useless. Reading this article will teach you how to identify dementia. more »

    • Later Stages of Dementia

      Later stages of dementia usually bring about increasing frailness as the illness progresses. By this time, there is almost always a need for consistent care. If people know what to expect prior to reaching this point, this painful situation can be made easier. more »

    • How Does Dementia Happen?

      Dementia is a condition in which brain functions decline as a result of injury, stroke or disease. In the United States, statistics show as many as 4 to 5 million people suffer from some form of dementia. What was once thought of as a natural part of the aging process is now recognized as a condition that can occur within any area of... more »

    • Last Stage of Dementia

      Dementia is the umbrella term under which fall a number of diseases that affect the patient's mind. You may notice that common symptoms include a gradual loss of short term and long term memories, a decline in the use of language and ability to understand others, and also a worsening impairment of problem solving abilities. Generally... more »

    Dementia Quick Guides

    • About Huntington's Disease

      Huntington's disease is a genetically inherited disease that gradually causes brain cells to...

    • Alzheimer Disease Guide

      Alzheimer's disease is a common mental health disorder, which is likely to affect you or...

    • Stay Young

      While most people are concerned with their looks in old-age, few people take the necessary steps...

    • Cope With Disease

      From gingivitis to cancer, diseases are an unfortunate part of life. However, knowing the facts...

    Dementia Articles

    • About Dementia

      Dementia is a disorder of the mind that is mainly found among the elderly, though it can occur during any stage of adulthood. It affects memory,... more »

    • How to Diagnose Dementia

      Dementia is often perceived as a disease. This condition, however, is actually a combination of symptoms that include loss of memory the ability... more »

    • Guidelines for Dementia

      Dementia is a condition that can have a devastating effect on the sufferer as well as those around him. When dementia is suspected, it is... more »

    • What Are Alzheimer's & Dementia?

      Alzheimer's and dementia affect a growing number of adults. The costs associated with treating these conditions continue to grow and more and more... more »

    • Symptoms of Dementia

      Dementia has a number of causes including age, disease and injury, but depending on the cause, symptoms and degree of dementia can vary, occur... more »

    Wikipedia

    Dementia

    -|
    ICD9 - |
    ICDO |
    Image |
    Caption |
    OMIM |
    MedlinePlus 000739 |
    eMedicineSubj |
    eMedicineTopic |
    DiseasesDB 29283 |
    MeshID D003704 |
    }}

    Dementia (meaning "deprived of mind") is a serious cognitive disorder. It may be static, the result of a unique global brain injury or progressive, resulting in long-term decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the body beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population, it may occur in any stage of adulthood. This age cutoff is defining, as similar sets of symptoms due to organic brain syndrome or dysfunction, are given different names in populations younger than adult. Up to the end of the nineteenth century, dementia was a much broader clinical concept."Berr">

    Dementia is a non-specific illness syndrome (set of signs and symptoms) in which affected areas of cognition may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving. It is normally required to be present for at least 6 months to be diagnosed;"Def">
    cognitive dysfunction that has been seen only over shorter times, in particular less than weeks, must be termed delirium. In all types of general cognitive dysfunction, higher mental functions are affected first in the process. Especially in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time (not knowing what day of the week, day of the month, or even what year it is), in place (not knowing where they are), and in person (not knowing who they are or others around them). Dementia, though often treatable to some degree, is usually due to causes that are progressive and incurable.

    Symptoms of dementia can be classified as either reversible or irreversible, depending upon the etiology of the disease. Less than 10 percent of cases of dementia are due to causes that may presently be reversed with treatment. Causes include many different specific dise read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia

    Related Ads

    Dementia People & Community

    Connect with people who share your interest by joining one of our Groups:

    Topic Contributors
    Get Free Health Newsletters

    Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

    Demand Media