Is it dementia or old age?

Wait a minute. Why would four of my readers, in one week ask me questions on old age and dementia? Why would they even ask me to revisit and re-discuss them. One respondent was very blunt, he asked “is it old age or dementia that my father is suffering from”, and that gave birth to today’s topic.

The funny aspect was that all those that wanted me to discuss dementia were below 40. We know, as I had discussed ad infinitum that dementia becomes more pronounced from 60, although it could start earlier. Okay let me explain again – dementia is a decline in mental ability that usually progresses slowly, in which memory, thinking, judgment, and the ability to pay attention and learn are impaired, and personality may deteriorate”.

Dementia can develop suddenly in young people when a severe injury, disease or toxic substances (eg carbon monoxide) destroys brain cells. However dementia usually develops slowly and affects people over age 60. Nevertheless dementia is not part of aging. So to answer my reader’s question dementia is not synonymous with old age. As we age, changes in the brain cells cause some memory loss – especially short term memory, and some decline in learning ability. The normal changes do not affect the ability to function.

Forgetfulness in older people is sometimes called “benign senescent forgetfulness “, and it is not necessarily a sign of dementia or early Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is much more serious decline in mental ability, and one that gets worse with time. While people who are aging normally may forget details, people with dementia may forget entire recent events. A sign of recent memory loss might be that the person might be asking the same question repeatedly. There may be difficulty completing familiar tasks – for example making a drink or taking a bath.

A patient with dementia may also have problem communicating – that is difficulty with language, forgetting simple words or using wrong ones. There is disorientation – the person might might get lost on a previously familiar street or road, without just cause. The dementia candidate also starts having problem with abstract thinking – for instance, dealing with money, how much he has and his balance after a purchase.

The person might be misplacing things – forgetting the location of every day items, such as keys, wallets or toiletries. There may be mood changes – sudden and unexplained changes in outlook or disposition. The person might show personality changes – perhaps becoming irritable, suspicious or fearful. There may also be loss of initiative – showing less interest in starting something or going somewhere. As the person ages late stage dementia symptoms tend to worsen.

Treatment for dementia.

Brain cells death cannot be reversed. So there is no known cure, which means most dementias are incurable. So there is no known cure for degenerative dementia. If dementia symptoms are due to a reversible, non-degenerative cause treatment may be possible to prevent or halt further brain tissue damage. Examples include injury, medication effects, and vitamin deficiency. Always be medically guided.

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