Dementia

**Dementia** be a syndrome wey be associated plus chaw neurodegenerative diseases, wey be characterized by a general decline insyd cognitive abilities wey dey affect a person ein ability to perform everyday activities. Dis typically dey involve problems plus memory, thinking, behavior, den motor control. Aside from memory impairment den a disruption insyd thought patterns, de most common symptoms of dementia dey include emotional problems, difficulties plus language, den decreased motivation. De symptoms fi be described as occurring insyd a continuum over several stages. Dementia be a life-limiting condition, wey get a significant effect on de individual, dema caregivers, den dema social relationships in general. A diagnosis of dementia dey require de observation of a change from a person ein usual mental functioning den a greater cognitive decline dan wey fi be caused by de normal aging process.

Several diseases den injuries to de brain, such as a stroke, fi give rise to dementia. However, de most common cause be Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder. Dementia be a neurocognitive disorder plus varying degrees of severity (mild to major) den chaw forms anaa subtypes. Dementia be an acquired brain syndrome, wey be marked by a decline insyd cognitive function, wey be contrasted plus neurodevelopmental disorders. Na e sanso be described as a spectrum of disorders plus subtypes of dementia based on wich known disorder cause ein development, such as Parkinson's disease for Parkinson's disease dementia, Huntington's disease for Huntington's disease dementia, vascular disease for vascular dementia, HIV infection wey dey cause HIV dementia, frontotemporal lobar degeneration for frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body disease for dementia with Lewy bodies, den prion diseases. Subtypes of neurodegenerative dementias sanso fi be based on de underlying pathology of misfolded proteins, such as synucleinopathies den tauopathies. De coexistence of more dan one type of dementia be known as mixed dementia.

Chaw neurocognitive disorders fi be caused by anoda medical condition anaa disorder, wey dey include brain tumours den subdural hematoma, endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism den hypoglycemia, nutritional deficiencies wey dey include thiamine den niacin, infections, immune disorders, liver anaa kidney failure, metabolic disorders such as Kufs disease, sam leukodystrophies, den neurological disorders such as epilepsy den multiple sclerosis. Sam of de neurocognitive deficits sam times fi show improvement plus treatment of de causative medical condition.

Diagnosis of dementia usually be based on history of de illness den cognitive testing plus imaging. Dem fi take blood tests to rule out oda possible causes wey fi be reversible, such as hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid), wey dem fi use imaging to help determine de dementia subtype den exclude oda causes.

Although de greatest risk factor for developing dementia be aging, dementia no be a normal part of de aging process; chaw people aged 90 den above dey show no signs of dementia. Risk factors, diagnosis den caregiving practices be influenced by cultural den socio-environmental factors. Several risk factors for dementia, such as smoking den obesity, be preventable by lifestyle changes. Dem no see screening de general older population for de disorder to affect de outcome.

Dementia currently be de seventh leading cause of death worldwide wey e get 10&nbsp;million new cases reported every year (approximately one every three seconds). Der be no known cure for dementia. Dem often use acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil insyd sam dementia subtypes wey fi be beneficial in mild to moderate stages, buh de overall benefit fi be minor. Der be chaw measures wey fi improve de quality of life of a person plus dementia den dema caregivers. Cognitive den behavioral interventions fi be appropriate for treating de associated symptoms of depression. 

## References


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## External links

* Alzheimer's Association
* National Institute on Aging – Alzheimer's disease