Dementia is typically a problem of later adulthood and old age, although it occurs in younger adults as well. A slow, steady and progressive impairment of brain functioning in older adults is called a degenerative dementia and the most common form is Alzheimer's disease. Causes of Dementia in younger adults include traumatic brain injury, strokes, AIDS, and brain tumours.

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Delirium is another form of global impairment of intellectual functioning. This condition differs from dementia in that consciousness is prominently disturbed whereas in dementia it is normal. Delirium also has an abrupt onset, is caused by a physical illness (such as bladder infection), and usually resolves completely after treatment. By contrast, dementia in older adults is slowly progressive (brain failure) and leads to death.

Cognitive or intellectual functions is our “brain power” and consists of memory, sensory processing, motor control, planning and organisation, attention and concentration, and speech. Dementia affects mainly cognitive functions, but as the disease progresses it affects all aspects of brain functioning.

In older adults, Alzheimer’s disease is the cause for dementia in approximately 60% of cases. Second most common is Vascular Dementia (VaD) in 13% of cases. VaD is also known as “hardening” of the arteries and is associated with poor blood supply to the brain. It occurs most commonly in associated with strokes, hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Depression accounts for about 4% of cases with dementia.

There are dozens of conditions that can cause or mimic dementia. These include depression, anxiety, anaemia, and infections such as syphilis and AIDS, vitamin deficiencies, and hypothyroidism. Many of these are reversible, so it is always important to obtain a proper diagnosis and initiate treatment as early as possible.

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For more information visit: Dementia SA: http://www.dementiasa.org/ or Alzheimer’s South Africa: http://www.alzheimers.org.za/
 

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