There is a group of brain disorders in which the patient experiences a loss of cognitive function. The name used for this group is “Dementia”. So it’s not one particular ailment. But a group of them that have certain things in common. The cause of these disorders is thought to be the deterioration of brain cells. This is a natural process that occurs throughout our lives, but in people with dementia the loss of these nerve cells (neurons) is far greater. A normal adult brain has about 100 billion neurons. Also some sources indicated that at least one type of dementia shows no significant loss of neurons, indicating that other factors are at play.
It is important to note that although we lose neurons as we age, dementia is not a natural part of aging. Dementia can progress over a very long period of time. In its earliest, mildest stages, dementia appears as a slight loss of brain function. In its late stages, a patient can be completely dependent on others. The first symptom is often forgetfulness. In the early stage, called Mild Cognitive Impairment, the sufferer may have trouble remembering things and finding the right words, but is still able to function on his own. A person with dementia may also have trouble thinking and solving problems. For example, the person may get lost in their own neighborhood, or forget the name of a close friend or family member. They may forget recently-learned information and need help with everyday tasks. Finally there may also be personality change, an affect on the emotions.
It is widely believed that there is no known cure for dementia, but there are risk factors that can be reduced, including high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and obesity. We’ll talk more about this in future episodes.
Dementia affects over 50 million people worldwide right now. And 10% of people develop dementia at some point in their lives. It is becoming more common due to longer lifespans. About 3% of people 65-74 years old have dementia, 19% 75-84, and %50 85 or older. So this is especially pertinent for us, because we all want to live long lives, and we want our lives to be healthy. In researching this I found it amusing that on the wikipedia page there are several people depicted in drawings, though there isn’t much mention of physical appearance in the text.
In the next episode we will talk about the different types of dementia, and there are many.
Ref:
Outsmart Dementia. (2020). The latest tools for controlling cognitive health — preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Morton Grove, IL: Publications International, Ltd.
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12068
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859218/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia