Dementia Research Paper
Dementia
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning. This includes thinking, remembering and reasoning. Memory loss is usually accompanied by at least one of the following symptoms: impaired movement, difficulty with language and the inability to plan and initiate appropriate social behavior. Dementia ranges in severity from mild problems in functioning to the most severe stage of complete dependence. There are several types of dementia. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disease. It slows and destroys memory and thinking functions as well as the ability to complete even the simplest everyday tasks. Age related Alzheimer’s …show more content…
is the most common cause of dementia in people over 60. The World Health Organization (2001) estimates that 5 percent of men and 6 percent of women suffer from Alzheimer’s disease worldwide (Whitbourne & Halgin, 2012). Throughout the coming decades the baby boom generation is expected to add 10 million Alzheimer’s cases to the U.S. population alone (Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, which causes issues with the thinking process, memory, and behavior. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s develop slowly and gets worse as time goes on. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s memory loss is very mild but as it progresses it starts disrupting their daily lives. Some of the symptoms that someone may have that shows Alzheimer’s are challenges in planning or solving problems associated with keeping track of monthly bills, difficulty remembering people and completing tasks that involve work and personal life, confusion with time, place, dates, and seasons, trouble understanding visual images with a difficulty in reading, judging, distance and determining colors, new problems with words, speaking and writing also having trouble following a conversation. Misplacing things and not being able to retrace steps also having a unsociable attitude that isn’t normal to their nature whether being someone who once was social or not. Alzheimer 's may be the most common type of Dementia but Vascular dementia is the second most common. Similar to Alzheimer’s, Vascular dementia differs by the way that you can get it. Vascular dementia is cause by a blockage of blood flow to the brain for a period of time. It 's a general term that describes problems with reasoning, judgment, memory, planning, and other thought processes caused by brain damage.
Changes within the thinking skills usually occur after strokes block the brain blood vessels. Some symptoms may be obvious after a major stroke which includes confusion, disorientation, trouble with speech and speaking and vision loss. Diagnosis with all forms of dementia are similar most of the time different forms are used for different types but most commonly used are going through family medical history, evaluation with functions, a neurological examination, laboratory tests of blood and brain testing. Certain drugs that may help Alzheimer’s have been linked to work with people with this specific form of dementia this is what study shows. Throughout each dementia scientists seem to have found links between all including with Vascular dementia and Dementia with Lewy …show more content…
Bodies. Dementia with Lewy Bodies, known as the third most common type of dementia, is an advance dementia that causes a decline in reasoning, thinking, and independent functions because of brain cells that are damaged over time called, abnormal microscopic deposits. Lewy bodies are clumps of microscopic protein deposits located in the brain that interfere with the brain’s normal functioning which causes deterioration gradually. Lewy bodies are found in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Those who have Parkinson’s disease, in the long run, develop problems with reasoning and thinking. Those with Dementia with Lewy Bodies have problems with their posture, muscles, walking, and movement. Mixed Dementia is a condition in which two or more types of dementia are presented at the same time, which is in Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular Dementia, and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. What researchers have pointed out is that mixed dementia is very common then people would think. Some studies have shown that people show symptoms from two different types of dementia which causes them to be diagnosed under mixed dementia. There is no specific age range that scientists have put on mixed dementia but most likely people older suffer from it the most. Parkinson’s disease is a disorder within the nervous system that affects movement and deals with an impairment of reasoning and thinking. This disorder causes a stiffness in a person associated with slowness in there movement. People with Parkinson’s can have a form of Parkinson’s that have Lewy bodies by having underlying abnormalities in the brain processing the protein Alpha-Synuclien. Alpha-Synuclien is a protein that helps with cognitive functions of the brain. Clumps are going to begin in an area in the brain called the substania niagra. This causes a degeneration of the nerve cells that produces dopamine. Dopamine is both a neurotransmitter and a neurohormone. As a neurotransmitter it transmits signals associated with concentration and motor skills. As a hormone it is often associated with pleasant experiences. Diseases such as Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Pick’s disease can also lead to dementia. While most forms of dementia are irreversible, dementia that is brought on by brain injury or tumor or by biochemical causes such as changes in blood sugar, sodium, B-12 levels or calcium levels can be reversed if caught early (http://www.nia.nih.gov).
The risk of dementia is most likely due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It is not known exactly how the process of Alzheimer’s disease begins. It is believed that the damage to the brain starts a decade or more before problems are noticed. Proteins form plaque on the brain and cause neurons in the brain to function less efficiently. Eventually the neurons stop firing and die. Over time the damage spreads to the hippocampus, the area in the brain that helps form memory. There is also damage to the temporal and parietal lobes. As the neurons die, the affected areas of the brain shrink (http://alzheimers.org). There are many risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The greatest known risk factor is age (http://www.alzheimers.org). Most patient’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are 65 years and older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every 5 years after 65. Once the patient reaches 85 years old, the risk of having Alzheimer’s is close to 50% (www.caregiver.org) . Another risk factor associated with Alzheimer’s disease is heredity. Studies have shown that if an immediate family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the patient is more likely to have it and the risk increases even more if more than one family member has it. The most definite risk factor associated with having Alzheimer’s is genetics. Scientists have discovered that genes are definitely correlated with this disease. There are two types of genes associated with Alzheimer’s; Risk genes and Deterministic genes. Risk genes increase the likelihood, but do not guarantee it will happen (www.nia.nih.gov) . Deterministic genes directly cause the disease and guarantee you will get it. Scientists discovered the risk gene Apolipoprotein E-e4 (APOE-e4) and estimated that this may be a factor for 20-25% of Alzheimer’s cases. This may also make symptoms appear at a younger age. Some deterministic genes that scientists have discovered are Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), which was discovered in 1987. This was the first gene discovered with mutations that causes the inherited form of Alzheimer’s. Other gene mutations linked to Alzheimer’s are Presenilin-1 (PS-1) and Presenilin-2 (PS-2). These were both discovered in 1992-93. Variations in the PS-1 gene are the most common cause of early onset Alzheimer’s. Dementia is currently diagnosed by using a Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) (www.fightingdementia.org.au) .
This is a cognitive assessment tool, which establishes mental impairment. This test is designed to test a range of everyday skills. The maximum score on the MMSE is 30pts. A score of 20-24 suggests mild dementia, 13-20pts. suggests moderate dementia, and less than 12 indicates sever dementia. On average, the MMSE score of a person with Alzheimer’s declines about 2-4pts. each year. Another test that is commonly used to diagnose Alzheimer’s is the Mini-Cog Test. During this test, the examiner asks the patients to complete two tasks. First, the examiner asks the patient to remember names of 3 common objects and then repeat those object’s names a few minutes later. Second, the examiner asks the patient to draw a face of a clock with all 12 numbers in the right places and a specific time. The results of this test determine is further evaluation is needed to be performed (www.alz.org) . A mood assessment is also used in addition to mental status tests. This test evaluates the patient’s sense of well-being. It is used to detect depression or any other kind of mood disorder that may cause memory problems, loss of interest, and other symptoms that may overlap with
dementia. Brain scans are also used to detect signs of dementia along with MRI. Physical exams also help in determining what treatment is best. There is research being done to develop tools to diagnose dementia earlier and more accurately. These include improved psychological assessments and biomarkers, which are measured in the blood, spinal fluid or by a brain scan. Spinal fluid testing is already being used in Europe (http://www.alzheimers.org). There are many different treatment options when dealing with Alzheimer’s patients. The first mode of treatment would be medication. Types of medications that are most commonly used are Cholinesterase inhibitors. These medications include Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne. Cholinesterase inhibitors work by boosting levels of a chemical messenger involved with memory and judgment. Another type of medication used for treatment is Namenda. This medication works by regulating glutamate activity and slows the progression of symptoms with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s. Glutamate is a chemical messenger involved in functions like learning and memory. Some research has shown that using Cholinesterase inhibitors with Namenda can benefit the individual without any negative side effects (www.alz.org) . Another form of treatment may also be recommended by a doctor, other than medications. Occupational therapy is commonly used in conjunction with medication. This may help to adjust living with dementia. The occupational therapists may teach coping skills and ways to adapt to daily living activities as the dementia continues to progress. There are numerous complications a person with dementia can face on a day-to-day basis and can affect many body systems. Some of these symptoms are inadequate nutrition, reduced hygiene, delusions/hallucinations, and personal safety challenges. Dementia not only affects the patients unfortunately, it also affects family members taking care of them. Numerous caregivers have reported experiencing feeling overwhelmed and high levels of stress, which eventually leads to burnout. It is up to doctors and caregivers, to not only help the patients, but to help family members as well, to deal with and treat this degenerative disease that affects an increasingly large number of the population on a daily basis.
References www.nia.nih.gov www.fightingdementia.org.au www.alz.org www.mayoclinic.com
www.alzheimers.org
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning. This includes thinking, remembering and reasoning. Memory loss is usually accompanied by at least one of the following symptoms: impaired movement, difficulty with language and the inability to plan and initiate appropriate social behavior. Dementia ranges in severity from mild problems in functioning to the most severe stage of complete dependence. There are several types of dementia. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disease. It slows and destroys memory and thinking functions as well as the ability to complete even the simplest everyday tasks. Age related Alzheimer’s …show more content…
is the most common cause of dementia in people over 60. The World Health Organization (2001) estimates that 5 percent of men and 6 percent of women suffer from Alzheimer’s disease worldwide (Whitbourne & Halgin, 2012). Throughout the coming decades the baby boom generation is expected to add 10 million Alzheimer’s cases to the U.S. population alone (Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 2013). Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, which causes issues with the thinking process, memory, and behavior. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s develop slowly and gets worse as time goes on. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s memory loss is very mild but as it progresses it starts disrupting their daily lives. Some of the symptoms that someone may have that shows Alzheimer’s are challenges in planning or solving problems associated with keeping track of monthly bills, difficulty remembering people and completing tasks that involve work and personal life, confusion with time, place, dates, and seasons, trouble understanding visual images with a difficulty in reading, judging, distance and determining colors, new problems with words, speaking and writing also having trouble following a conversation. Misplacing things and not being able to retrace steps also having a unsociable attitude that isn’t normal to their nature whether being someone who once was social or not. Alzheimer 's may be the most common type of Dementia but Vascular dementia is the second most common. Similar to Alzheimer’s, Vascular dementia differs by the way that you can get it. Vascular dementia is cause by a blockage of blood flow to the brain for a period of time. It 's a general term that describes problems with reasoning, judgment, memory, planning, and other thought processes caused by brain damage.
Changes within the thinking skills usually occur after strokes block the brain blood vessels. Some symptoms may be obvious after a major stroke which includes confusion, disorientation, trouble with speech and speaking and vision loss. Diagnosis with all forms of dementia are similar most of the time different forms are used for different types but most commonly used are going through family medical history, evaluation with functions, a neurological examination, laboratory tests of blood and brain testing. Certain drugs that may help Alzheimer’s have been linked to work with people with this specific form of dementia this is what study shows. Throughout each dementia scientists seem to have found links between all including with Vascular dementia and Dementia with Lewy …show more content…
Bodies. Dementia with Lewy Bodies, known as the third most common type of dementia, is an advance dementia that causes a decline in reasoning, thinking, and independent functions because of brain cells that are damaged over time called, abnormal microscopic deposits. Lewy bodies are clumps of microscopic protein deposits located in the brain that interfere with the brain’s normal functioning which causes deterioration gradually. Lewy bodies are found in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Those who have Parkinson’s disease, in the long run, develop problems with reasoning and thinking. Those with Dementia with Lewy Bodies have problems with their posture, muscles, walking, and movement. Mixed Dementia is a condition in which two or more types of dementia are presented at the same time, which is in Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular Dementia, and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. What researchers have pointed out is that mixed dementia is very common then people would think. Some studies have shown that people show symptoms from two different types of dementia which causes them to be diagnosed under mixed dementia. There is no specific age range that scientists have put on mixed dementia but most likely people older suffer from it the most. Parkinson’s disease is a disorder within the nervous system that affects movement and deals with an impairment of reasoning and thinking. This disorder causes a stiffness in a person associated with slowness in there movement. People with Parkinson’s can have a form of Parkinson’s that have Lewy bodies by having underlying abnormalities in the brain processing the protein Alpha-Synuclien. Alpha-Synuclien is a protein that helps with cognitive functions of the brain. Clumps are going to begin in an area in the brain called the substania niagra. This causes a degeneration of the nerve cells that produces dopamine. Dopamine is both a neurotransmitter and a neurohormone. As a neurotransmitter it transmits signals associated with concentration and motor skills. As a hormone it is often associated with pleasant experiences. Diseases such as Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Pick’s disease can also lead to dementia. While most forms of dementia are irreversible, dementia that is brought on by brain injury or tumor or by biochemical causes such as changes in blood sugar, sodium, B-12 levels or calcium levels can be reversed if caught early (http://www.nia.nih.gov).
The risk of dementia is most likely due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It is not known exactly how the process of Alzheimer’s disease begins. It is believed that the damage to the brain starts a decade or more before problems are noticed. Proteins form plaque on the brain and cause neurons in the brain to function less efficiently. Eventually the neurons stop firing and die. Over time the damage spreads to the hippocampus, the area in the brain that helps form memory. There is also damage to the temporal and parietal lobes. As the neurons die, the affected areas of the brain shrink (http://alzheimers.org). There are many risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The greatest known risk factor is age (http://www.alzheimers.org). Most patient’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are 65 years and older. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles about every 5 years after 65. Once the patient reaches 85 years old, the risk of having Alzheimer’s is close to 50% (www.caregiver.org) . Another risk factor associated with Alzheimer’s disease is heredity. Studies have shown that if an immediate family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the patient is more likely to have it and the risk increases even more if more than one family member has it. The most definite risk factor associated with having Alzheimer’s is genetics. Scientists have discovered that genes are definitely correlated with this disease. There are two types of genes associated with Alzheimer’s; Risk genes and Deterministic genes. Risk genes increase the likelihood, but do not guarantee it will happen (www.nia.nih.gov) . Deterministic genes directly cause the disease and guarantee you will get it. Scientists discovered the risk gene Apolipoprotein E-e4 (APOE-e4) and estimated that this may be a factor for 20-25% of Alzheimer’s cases. This may also make symptoms appear at a younger age. Some deterministic genes that scientists have discovered are Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), which was discovered in 1987. This was the first gene discovered with mutations that causes the inherited form of Alzheimer’s. Other gene mutations linked to Alzheimer’s are Presenilin-1 (PS-1) and Presenilin-2 (PS-2). These were both discovered in 1992-93. Variations in the PS-1 gene are the most common cause of early onset Alzheimer’s. Dementia is currently diagnosed by using a Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) (www.fightingdementia.org.au) .
This is a cognitive assessment tool, which establishes mental impairment. This test is designed to test a range of everyday skills. The maximum score on the MMSE is 30pts. A score of 20-24 suggests mild dementia, 13-20pts. suggests moderate dementia, and less than 12 indicates sever dementia. On average, the MMSE score of a person with Alzheimer’s declines about 2-4pts. each year. Another test that is commonly used to diagnose Alzheimer’s is the Mini-Cog Test. During this test, the examiner asks the patients to complete two tasks. First, the examiner asks the patient to remember names of 3 common objects and then repeat those object’s names a few minutes later. Second, the examiner asks the patient to draw a face of a clock with all 12 numbers in the right places and a specific time. The results of this test determine is further evaluation is needed to be performed (www.alz.org) . A mood assessment is also used in addition to mental status tests. This test evaluates the patient’s sense of well-being. It is used to detect depression or any other kind of mood disorder that may cause memory problems, loss of interest, and other symptoms that may overlap with
dementia. Brain scans are also used to detect signs of dementia along with MRI. Physical exams also help in determining what treatment is best. There is research being done to develop tools to diagnose dementia earlier and more accurately. These include improved psychological assessments and biomarkers, which are measured in the blood, spinal fluid or by a brain scan. Spinal fluid testing is already being used in Europe (http://www.alzheimers.org). There are many different treatment options when dealing with Alzheimer’s patients. The first mode of treatment would be medication. Types of medications that are most commonly used are Cholinesterase inhibitors. These medications include Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne. Cholinesterase inhibitors work by boosting levels of a chemical messenger involved with memory and judgment. Another type of medication used for treatment is Namenda. This medication works by regulating glutamate activity and slows the progression of symptoms with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s. Glutamate is a chemical messenger involved in functions like learning and memory. Some research has shown that using Cholinesterase inhibitors with Namenda can benefit the individual without any negative side effects (www.alz.org) . Another form of treatment may also be recommended by a doctor, other than medications. Occupational therapy is commonly used in conjunction with medication. This may help to adjust living with dementia. The occupational therapists may teach coping skills and ways to adapt to daily living activities as the dementia continues to progress. There are numerous complications a person with dementia can face on a day-to-day basis and can affect many body systems. Some of these symptoms are inadequate nutrition, reduced hygiene, delusions/hallucinations, and personal safety challenges. Dementia not only affects the patients unfortunately, it also affects family members taking care of them. Numerous caregivers have reported experiencing feeling overwhelmed and high levels of stress, which eventually leads to burnout. It is up to doctors and caregivers, to not only help the patients, but to help family members as well, to deal with and treat this degenerative disease that affects an increasingly large number of the population on a daily basis.
References www.nia.nih.gov www.fightingdementia.org.au www.alz.org www.mayoclinic.com
www.alzheimers.org