Dementia: Importance of early diagnosis

Every year, there are nearly 10 million new cases of dementia.The World Health Organization (WHO) states that more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide, over 60% of whom live in low-and middle-income countries. Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.

What is dementia?

Dementia is the term given when a person develops a decline in memory and intellect severe enough to interfere with their daily functioning. It may even result in the change of the sufferer’s personality.

A scientific overview on the types of dementia:

Dementia is caused by many different diseases or injuries that directly and indirectly damage the brain.

• Alzheimer disease is the most common form and may contribute to 60–70% of cases. Alzheimer’s dementia is prevalent among those over 60 years and the rate of disease doubles every 5 years. Memory is lost for recent events first. Language is usually affected early on, with difficulty in finding words or naming objects and impairments in the ability to construct fluent and informative sentences. Visuospatial skills may be affected, with difficulties in tasks such as copying pictures or learning the way round unfamiliar environments. Depression is frequent and fluctuations in mood and confusion are common, especially at night.

Other forms include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia.

• Vascular dementia results from neuronal damage due to diminished blood supply to the brain.

• In dementia with Lewy bodies (abnormal deposits of protein inside nerve cells), patients experience visual hallucinations where you see objects or images which do not actually exist. These present together with features of Parkinsons disease and a history of recurrent falls.

• Frontotemporal dementia (degeneration of the frontal lobe of the brain) is a condition with prominent behavioural changes and difficulties in speech.

Dementia may also develop after a stroke or in the context of certain infections such as HIV; as a result of harmful use of alcohol; repetitive physical injuries to the brain or nutritional deficiencies. The boundaries between different forms of dementia are indistinct and mixed forms often co-exist.

• Signs and symptoms of Dementia consist of forgetting things or recent events,losing or misplacing things, getting lost when walking or driving, being confused even in familiar places, losing track of time, difficulties solving problems or making decisions, problems following conversations or trouble finding words and difficulties performing familiar tasks.

Changes in mood and behaviour like feeling anxious, sad, or angry about memory loss, personality changes, inappropriate behaviour, withdrawal from work or social activities and being less interested in other people’s emotions are seen.

Dementia affects each person in a different way, depending upon the underlying causes, other health conditions and the person’s cognitive functioning before becoming ill.