Dementia

Dementia is a loss in mental skills, such as the ability to think, reason, learn, and understand. It causes problems with day-to-day tasks.

Some Areas of the Brain Affected by DementiaCopyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Causes

Many health problems can be a cause. Some common ones are:

  • Alzheimer dementia

  • Brain damage after many small strokes

  • Lewy body disease

  • Front-temporal dementia, such as Pick disease

  • Huntington disease

  • Brain injury

  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other prion disorders

  • Parkinson disease

Risk Factors

It is more common in older adults. Other things that may raise the risk are:

  • Having other people in your family who have it

  • Down syndrome

  • Having head trauma

  • Having health problems that damage the heart and blood vessels, such as:

    • High cholesterol

    • High blood pressure

    • Diabetes

    • Multiple strokes

Symptoms

Symptoms start slowly and get worse with time. They may be:

  • Memory loss

  • Lack of focus

  • Problems making choices or plans

  • Problems naming things

  • Getting lost in familiar places

  • Mood swings

  • Slowness when moving

  • Being withdrawn

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. Cognitive tests and nervous system tests will also be done.

Images may be taken. This can be done with:

  • MRI scan

  • CT scan

  • PET/CT scan

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

RESOURCES

Alzheimer's Association http://www.alz.org 

American Academy of Neurology http://www.aan.com