Dementia: Forgotten Memories

849 Words2 Pages

While the average life expectancy of the world’s population has increased, the number of detected dementia cases has commensurately risen to astonishing levels. Along with improved discovery of this disorder, new causes and treatments have been found, from which many innovative techniques have been developed towards the prevention of future incidences and reduction of the effects of this condition; however, the quest for these solutions have raised more questions than it has answered. Why do some develop this disorder, while others do not? Can early detection be achieved to reverse the processes or limit its effects? Further specifics on these topics have been categorized into three main sections, which include:

1. Dementia – Condition and Symptoms

2. Causes of this Disorder

3. Treatments and Cures

Dementia – Condition and Symptoms

“Dementia is the progressive deterioration in cognitive function - the ability to process thought” (Nordqvist, 2009, para. 1) and can be separated into two main categories: cortical and subcortical, physically speaking; for example, Alzheimer’s disease is a type of cordical dimentia, while Parkinson’s disease is classified as subcortical in nature. Many of the people suffering from these afflictions, which are usually middle-aged and older, appear to lose the ability to recall particular events, time of day, or in more advanced stages, the identity of their friends and family. Other symptoms of this condition have been reported as difficulty with speech, depression, balance issues and general disorientation.

Causes of this Disorder

Although Alzheimer’s disease appears to be the most common cause of dementia, “more than 50 conditions are associated with dementia, including degenerative ...

... middle of paper ...

...g conditions that mimic the outward signatures of dementia, which were thought to be reserved for Alzheimer’s disease, or other mind altering conditioned patients. It has been shown that depression, while treatable and not directly related to dementia, can exhibit the very same signs and should be carefully examined and studied before rushing to judgement.

References

Michaels, A. (2007, April 22). Drug Treatment for Dementia Sufferers. Article Directory. Retrieved October 19, 2008, from Articlesbase database.

Nordqvist, C. (2009, March 19). What is Dementia? What Causes Dementia? Symptoms of Dementia. Medical News Today. Retrieved June 16, 2010, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142214.php

Swirzewski, S. (2000, Jan 02). Dementia Causes. Neurology Channel. Retrieved June 17, 2010, from http://www.neurologychannel.com/dementia/causes.shtml

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