May 1st, 2009
What is Dementia?
Is Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia the Same Thing?
The human brain is a fascinating and complex organ, the “computer” of our bodies so to speak. Dementia is a cognitive mental disorder that is caused by a brain disease, or it can be a disease of another body part that affects the brain directly. Dementia can also be induced by drugs, alcohol, and other toxic agents. A person affected by this disorder may have several problems in the normal “cognitive” routines that most people take for granted. Dementia affects a person’s memory, recognition, and judgment, along with changes in comprehension.
Also in addition to their reasoning being diminished, dementia accounts for emotional instability, depression, anxiety, and paranoia. They will go theough mood swings and they will no linger have the capabilities to control their impulses, so their behavior will change for the worse. A person suffering from dementia may become impatient and easily upset due to the mental or physical limitations they now must endure. There is a wide range of contributors to dementia they include diseases of the central nervous system, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, brain tumors, and a number of other ailments. At times, the exact cause may be unknown, but symptoms do indicate that a mental illness is involved, especially when all other psychiatric problems have been considered and ruled out.
It is common for a senior to develop Alzheimer’s disease, this is a kind of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease involves the loss of a persons mental capabilities for example memory, intellect, reasoning, and judgement. There also can be changes in a persons personality. Depending on the severity and type of dementia, a person could progressively become worse, may stay the same, or remit. Like the other dementia’s, Alzheimer’s is treatable on a short term basis, but it also is progressive. I hope that one day there is a cure or a way to help these seniors fight this type of dementia, it seems to eat away at their independence.