DEMENTIA
What is dementia?
Dementia mostly affects older adults and it is where their ability to think, remember or
make decisions is impaired. Dementia makes it difficult for those affected to go about
their everyday life.
What are the different types of dementia?
➔ Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Dementia and affects about
60% of cases. (brace dementia research) It is a neurological disorder that results
in the brain shrinking and causes the brain cells to die. This happens because
protein builds up in the brain in the form of “plaques” and “tangles”.
Early signs of Alzheimer’s are forgetting recent events, repeating statements,
getting lost in familiar places and in time they will fail to remember family names.
People suffering from Alzheimers’s find it hard to concentrate and think. They will
find it especially difficult to multitask and deal with money e.g paying bills. They
will experience changes in their personality and behavior e.g depression, social
withdrawal, wandering and mood swings.
➔ Vascular Dementia
Vascular Dementia is a common form of dementia. It is caused by a lack of blood
flow to the brain because of diseased vessels. For the brain to function properly it
needs oxygen and nutrients which are supplied by the blood through the vascular
system. It affects roughly 150,000 people in the UK. Vascular dementia can start
very slowly or can start instantly. Symptoms of Vascular Dementia are difficulty
concentrating, slowness of thought, mood swings, difficulty understanding and
will also find it hard to remember things. People who suffer from vascular
Dementia may also have Alzheimer disease. This can make it difficult for people
to live independently and they will eventually need 24/7 care.
, ➔ Dementia With Lewy Bodies
Lewy Bodies were first identified by the German doctor FH Lewy. Dementia with
Lewy Bodies affects roughly 10% of people with dementia. (Dementia matters
2018)
Dementia with Lewy bodies are caused by clusters of proteins that form on the nerve
cells of the brain. Lewy bodies cause dementia and it can cause different symptoms
depending where the protein builds up in the brain. It reduces the level of chemicals in
the brain that is needed to send messages as it can break the connection between
nerve cells. Symptoms of Dementia with Lewy Bodies include hallucinations, confusion,
slow movement, disturbed sleep, fainting and problem understanding and thinking.
However the memory is less affected by dementia with lewy bodies as it would be with
Alzheimer disease.
➔ Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD)
CJD is caused by an unusual infectious protein in the brain called a prion. These
prions cause CJD as they build up in the brain and cause cells to die which inturn
releases more prions to affect other cells. The brain can become sponge-like as
prions cause small holes to develop.
There are 4 types of CJD:
➔ Sporadic CJD - This is the most common type of CJD and affects 8 in every 10
cases. It is not known what causes Sporadic CJD but it has been suggested that
it is caused by prions misfolding.
➔ Variant CJD - Variant CJD is caused by the same prions the caused BSE or mad
cow disease. Therefore it is most likely caused by eating meat that has these
diseases.
➔ Familial or inherited CJD - Familial or inherited CJD is a rare form of CJD. It is
caused by a mutated gene that makes prion proteins. Many people don't
experience symptoms of inherited CJD until there in later adulthood e.g 50s.
➔ Iatrogenic CJD - Iatrogenic CJD is caused by the infection being spread through
medical and surgical treatment from someone who has CJD. For example in
1958 to 1985 some children developed CJD because they were being treated
with a hormone obtained from glands infected with CJD.
People suffering from CJD will experience many symptoms such as slurred speech,
finding it hard to walk and keep balance, numbness in parts of the body and dizziness. It
will also affect them psychologically as they may experience depression, anxiety, loss of
memory, paranoia and many more. At the end stages of CJD they will be unable to live
independently as they will be bedridden and require constant care.
➔ Huntington’s disease
Huntington’s disease is a rare disease that can be inherited i.e passed down from a
parent. It is a condition caused by defective genes and as a consequence the central
brain becomes damaged. Huntington disease impacts the individual's movement by
What is dementia?
Dementia mostly affects older adults and it is where their ability to think, remember or
make decisions is impaired. Dementia makes it difficult for those affected to go about
their everyday life.
What are the different types of dementia?
➔ Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Dementia and affects about
60% of cases. (brace dementia research) It is a neurological disorder that results
in the brain shrinking and causes the brain cells to die. This happens because
protein builds up in the brain in the form of “plaques” and “tangles”.
Early signs of Alzheimer’s are forgetting recent events, repeating statements,
getting lost in familiar places and in time they will fail to remember family names.
People suffering from Alzheimers’s find it hard to concentrate and think. They will
find it especially difficult to multitask and deal with money e.g paying bills. They
will experience changes in their personality and behavior e.g depression, social
withdrawal, wandering and mood swings.
➔ Vascular Dementia
Vascular Dementia is a common form of dementia. It is caused by a lack of blood
flow to the brain because of diseased vessels. For the brain to function properly it
needs oxygen and nutrients which are supplied by the blood through the vascular
system. It affects roughly 150,000 people in the UK. Vascular dementia can start
very slowly or can start instantly. Symptoms of Vascular Dementia are difficulty
concentrating, slowness of thought, mood swings, difficulty understanding and
will also find it hard to remember things. People who suffer from vascular
Dementia may also have Alzheimer disease. This can make it difficult for people
to live independently and they will eventually need 24/7 care.
, ➔ Dementia With Lewy Bodies
Lewy Bodies were first identified by the German doctor FH Lewy. Dementia with
Lewy Bodies affects roughly 10% of people with dementia. (Dementia matters
2018)
Dementia with Lewy bodies are caused by clusters of proteins that form on the nerve
cells of the brain. Lewy bodies cause dementia and it can cause different symptoms
depending where the protein builds up in the brain. It reduces the level of chemicals in
the brain that is needed to send messages as it can break the connection between
nerve cells. Symptoms of Dementia with Lewy Bodies include hallucinations, confusion,
slow movement, disturbed sleep, fainting and problem understanding and thinking.
However the memory is less affected by dementia with lewy bodies as it would be with
Alzheimer disease.
➔ Creutzfeldt-Jakob (CJD)
CJD is caused by an unusual infectious protein in the brain called a prion. These
prions cause CJD as they build up in the brain and cause cells to die which inturn
releases more prions to affect other cells. The brain can become sponge-like as
prions cause small holes to develop.
There are 4 types of CJD:
➔ Sporadic CJD - This is the most common type of CJD and affects 8 in every 10
cases. It is not known what causes Sporadic CJD but it has been suggested that
it is caused by prions misfolding.
➔ Variant CJD - Variant CJD is caused by the same prions the caused BSE or mad
cow disease. Therefore it is most likely caused by eating meat that has these
diseases.
➔ Familial or inherited CJD - Familial or inherited CJD is a rare form of CJD. It is
caused by a mutated gene that makes prion proteins. Many people don't
experience symptoms of inherited CJD until there in later adulthood e.g 50s.
➔ Iatrogenic CJD - Iatrogenic CJD is caused by the infection being spread through
medical and surgical treatment from someone who has CJD. For example in
1958 to 1985 some children developed CJD because they were being treated
with a hormone obtained from glands infected with CJD.
People suffering from CJD will experience many symptoms such as slurred speech,
finding it hard to walk and keep balance, numbness in parts of the body and dizziness. It
will also affect them psychologically as they may experience depression, anxiety, loss of
memory, paranoia and many more. At the end stages of CJD they will be unable to live
independently as they will be bedridden and require constant care.
➔ Huntington’s disease
Huntington’s disease is a rare disease that can be inherited i.e passed down from a
parent. It is a condition caused by defective genes and as a consequence the central
brain becomes damaged. Huntington disease impacts the individual's movement by
