Types of Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common dementia. Damaged tissue builds up in the brain and forms deposits called ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ which cause the cells around them to die. It also affects chemicals in the brain which transmit messages from one cell to another.

Vascular dementia, where the arteries supplying blood to the brain become blocked which leads to small strokes when parts of the brain die as they are starved of oxygen.

Lewy body dementia is caused by small protein deposits in the brain, and symptoms closely resembles Parkinson’s disease

Fronto-temporal dementia is caused by damage to the front of the brain and is more likely to cause personality change

Many other illnesses can cause dementia. Physical illnesses which cause memory problems include:

* Kidney, liver or thyroid problems.
* Shortage of some vitamins (although this is rare).
* Chest or urine infections can lead to confusion and can be treated with antibiotics.
* Rarer conditions such as Huntington’s disease, which causes dementia in younger people.

Depression can cause a “pseudo-dementia” which can get better with antidepressants and talking therapy.

Symptoms of Dementia

Symptoms of dementia vary depending on the cause and the area of the brain that is affected. Memory loss is usually the earliest and most noticeable symptom. Other key symptoms of dementia include:

* Having difficulty recalling recent events.
* Not recognizing familiar people and places.
* Having trouble finding the right words to express thoughts or name objects.
* Having difficulty performing calculations.
* Having problems planning and carrying out tasks, such as balancing a checkbook, following a recipe, or writing a letter.
* Having trouble exercising judgment, such as knowing what to do in an emergency.
* Having difficulty controlling moods or behaviors. Depression is common, and agitation or aggression may occur.
* Not keeping up personal care such as grooming or bathing.

Some types of dementia cause key symptoms:

* People who have dementia with Lewy bodies often have highly detailed visual hallucinations. They may fall frequently.
* The first symptoms of frontotemporal dementia may be personality changes or unusual behavior. People with this condition may not express any caring for others, or they may say rude things, expose themselves, or make sexually explicit comments.

Treatments of Dementia

If you are worried about your memory, see your doctor. He or she can carry out a simple memory test, examine you physically and order blood tests. You can be referred to a specialist team to test your memory in more detail and arrange a brain scan if needed.

There are no cures, as yet, for many of these conditions and treatment depends on the diagnosis. A group of drugs called acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s dementia and Lewy Body dementia and another drug called memantine, a glutamate blocker, may protect brain cells against damage.

In Vascular dementia and possibly Alzheimer’s, other drugs may be of use in slowing the damage to brain cells and hence brain function, including:

* Aspirin
* Medication to control high blood pressure
* Cholesterol lowering treatments such as statins

There is a small amount of evidence that the herb gingko biloba and possibly also vitamin E may help delay progression of the disease It’s also important to stop smoking, eat healthily and take exercise.