Overview Of The Major Types Of Dementia

Dementia is a term used to describe when the loss of certain behavioral abilities, remembering, thinking, and reasoning causes interference in an individual's daily activities and life. Dementia develops when neurons in the brain become non-functional, lose the ability to communicate with other cells in the brain, and die. Individuals may experience issues with several cognitive functions when they develop dementia. Examples include language skills, ability to focus, and memory. Dementia patients may also experience personality changes and difficulty controlling their emotions. The severity can range from mild cognitive impairment and occasional forgetfulness to severe stages where they are entirely dependent on others.

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for dementia. Thus, dementia treatment focuses on symptom management and preventing cognitive decline. Many patients will take medication for Alzheimer's disease. Some individuals have seen success with vitamin supplements for dementia as well. Brain training for dementia is another common treatment. Of course, it is vital to know the types of dementia to obtain the best treatment for it.

Alzheimer's Disease

The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. It develops when clumps of certain proteins build up in the junctions in between the nerve cells. These proteins are called tangles and plaques. Alzheimer's disease patients will also deal with a decrease in neurotransmitters, which are responsible for passing signals between the cells. Symptoms that this condition is interfering with a patient's life include losing items around the house, forgetting names of loved ones, and being unable to remember recent events and conversations. Others are getting lost on a familiar route or in a familiar place, forgetting significant dates, and not remembering to attend appointments.

Patients may also have reduced visuospatial skills, repeat themselves often, struggle to follow a conversation, cannot make decisions, and cannot carry out a sequence of tasks. In addition, they may be unable to solve problems, lose track of the day, experience mood changes, and lose interest in hobbies and activities that they once enjoyed. Every case is different, but most patients have a life expectancy of between eight and ten years following the onset of their first symptoms.

Vascular Dementia

The second most common form of dementia is vascular dementia. Brain cells require a consistent supply of oxygen and nutrients from the blood to function and be healthy. The vascular system is a network of blood vessels that supplies the brain tissues with blood. When these blood vessels become obstructed or damaged, blood cannot get to the cells in the brain. Without a consistent blood supply, the brain cells begin to die.

An ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke can cause patients to develop a type of vascular dementia called post-stroke dementia. Individuals can develop forms of vascular dementia called single-infarct and multi-infarct dementia if they experience a series of smaller strokes rather than a single severe one. When the smallest blood vessels in the brain become twisted and stiff to the degree that they restrict blood flow, it is referred to as small vessel disease. Individuals affected by small vessel disease in their brain may develop the most common type of vascular dementia: subcortical dementia.