There are several conditions which can cause dementia. Some of them are more frequent than others, some progress faster, and some can be reversed while others can’t. Each of these causes can affect different parts of the brain. Here are some of the main causes of dementia.
What is Dementia?
he term “dementia” doesn’t refer to a specific illness; instead, it is used to describe symptoms comprising a broad spectrum of brain diseases which are severe enough to affect a person’s daily life.
Dementia affects a person’s cognitive functions, such as memory, language, thinking, and orientation, amongst other aspects of their life, such as emotional control, and social behavior.
Dementia has become more common as life expectancies grow longer, and it is one of the more common causes of disability in the elderly.
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What Causes Dementia?
Although the exact causes for many of the diseases which cause dementia haven’t been discovered, there are certain risk factors which can increase a person’s chance of suffering from dementia. These risk factors include:
- Age: this is the most important risk factor. Dementia is very infrequent in people below the age of 60 years old, but by 80 years old it becomes very common, and it has been estimated that it affects nearly half of people over 90 years old.
- Genetics: certain genes can increase a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
- It has been theorized that suffering from diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, and unhealthy habits such as smoking and leading a sedentary lifestyle can increase the chance of suffering from dementia later on in life.
How is Dementia Diagnosed?
Since dementia isn’t a specific disease, but rather a group of illnesses which cause certain symptoms, it is understandable that there isn’t a single test to diagnose it.
Doctors will review a patient’s history to check for symptoms which point to cognitive impairment; if necessary, the patient will be referred to another specialist, such as a geriatrician, psychiatrist, or neurologist.
Tests are usually carried out to determine the extent of the impairment and to rule out reversible causes of dementia. Brain scanning techniques, such as PET scans, can be used to determine which part of the brain has been affected; however, in some cases it is not possible to point to the exact cause of dementia.
The mini mental state examination (MMSE) is used to assess a patient’s cognitive functioning. There are other tests available for this purpose, such as the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), the clock drawing test, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA).
There is no cure for the non-reversible causes of dementia; however, current treatments can help slow its progression and improve the patient’s quality of life.
Access to therapy is important after diagnosis, to make sure the patient is offered help in dealing with the disease and doesn’t develop anxiety or depression. Therapy can also help keep the patient’s mind active, retain skills, and relearn how to perform daily activities. Different types of therapy used in dementia include: reminiscence therapy, cognitive reframing, validation therapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Other activities should be offered to the patient to make sure they stay active both mentally and physically, such as music, art, gardening, dancing, and exercise, amongst others.
Medication can’t cure dementia, but it can be used to treat its symptoms. Some of these medications include:
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: these drugs may be useful in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, DLB, by increasing the levels of acetylcholine. They include donezepil, rivastigmine, and galantamine.
- N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockers: such as memantine, this medication is also used to treat Alzheimer’s, and it has been shown to slow the progression of symptoms in some cases. It works by reducing the amounts of glutamate in the brain.
- Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam, are contraindicated in dementia, since they can worsen the cognitive impairment.
Since the condition of patients with dementia worsens over time, palliative care is an option that must be considered to help patients and their loved ones cope with dementia once it has reached a terminal stage.
Dementia Clinical Trials
Clinical trials for dementia and the conditions that cause it aim to discover ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. There are also trials that aim to find ways to improve dementia patients’ quality of life.
Treatment clinical trials have two aims: to discover therapeutic options that can reduce symptoms, and slow or stop the progression of the disease. Diagnostic studies try to find new ways to diagnose dementia in its early stages, and to better identify risk factors so that the condition can be diagnosed even before the patient starts to display symptoms. There are also prevention trials, which look for ways to prevent the disease from developing at all.
Many patients choose to participate in clinical trials to take control of their health, and to gain access to care provided by experts in the field. Clinical trials are led by a team of specialists, researchers, and healthcare personnel, and the patient can choose to leave the trial at any point.
ClinicalTrials.gov: Recruiting Studies | dementia | Last update posted in the last 300 days Studies found on ClinicalTrials.gov by a search of: Recruiting Studies | dementia | Last update posted in the last 300 days
- Computerized Tests of Cognitive Decline in Presymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease on March 16, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Cognitive Decline; AgingInterventions: Diagnostic Test: California Cognitive Assessment Battery; Diagnostic Test: Fast Automated Cognitive Test BatterySponsors: Neurobehavioral Systems, Inc.; National Institutes of Health (NIH)Recruiting
- Assessing Clinical Outcomes in Alzheimer's Disease Agitation on March 15, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Conditions: Agitation in Patients With Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type; Alzheimer Disease; Agitation,PsychomotorInterventions: Drug: AXS-05; Drug: PlaceboSponsor: Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.Recruiting
- Relationship Between Alzheimer Disease and Diminution of the Three Macular Nervous Retinal Layers on March 12, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Conditions: Optical Coherence Tomography; Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography; Retinal Thickening; Alzheimer Disease; Lewy Body Disease; Retina; Cortical Atrophy; Retinal Nerve Fibres LayerInterventions: Diagnostic Test: Optical coherence tomography (OCT); Diagnostic Test: Optical coherence tomograpohy angiography (OCTA)Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, AmiensRecruiting
- Fasudil fOr redUcing elopemeNt and Spatial Disorientation on March 11, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Condition: DementiaInterventions: Drug: Oral Fasudil 90 mg/day; Drug: Oral Fasudil 180 mg/day; Drug: Oral PlaceboSponsor: Woolsey PharmaceuticalsRecruiting
- Disease Containment Measures Among Older Adults During the Covid-19 Pandemia on March 10, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Conditions: Dementia; Cognitive Impairment; Depression, Anxiety; LonelinessIntervention: Sponsor: Norwegian Centre for Ageing and HealthRecruiting
- Depression, Anxiety and Social Relationships as Risk Factors for Dementia on March 8, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Conditions: Dementia; Dementia Alzheimers; Risk Factor; Depression; Anxiety; Social IsolationIntervention: Sponsors: Norwegian Centre for Ageing and Health; Norwegian Health Association; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Norwegian Institute of Public Health; University College, LondonRecruiting
- Home-based Brain Stimulation for Memory on March 5, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Memory LossIntervention: Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)Sponsor: Hebrew SeniorLifeRecruiting
- Memory Functions in Mild Alzheimer's Disease on March 5, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Condition: Alzheimer DiseaseIntervention: Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)Sponsor: Hebrew SeniorLifeRecruiting
- Promoting Self-determination for Institutionalized Older People Without Decision-making Capacity: Advance Care Planning by Proxy on March 3, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Conditions: Advanced Dementia; Loss of Medical Decision Making CapacityIntervention: Other: Advance care planning by proxy for health care proxies of people without medical decision making capacitySponsor: Ralf J. JoxRecruiting
- Hypnosis for Sleep Quality in Caregivers of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease on March 3, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Conditions: Poor Quality Sleep; Caregiver Stress; Alzheimer's Disease (Incl Subtypes)Interventions: Behavioral: Self-Administered Hypnosis; Behavioral: Self-Administered White Noise HypnosisSponsors: Baylor University; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)Recruiting
- A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of VIZAMYL™ Reader Training Programme in Europe on February 26, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Condition: Cognitive ImpairmentIntervention: Sponsors: GE Healthcare; ICON plcRecruiting
- Characteristics of Patients With Dementia Who Are Screaming in Nursing Homes on February 18, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Condition: DementiaIntervention: Sponsor: University Hospital, MontpellierRecruiting
Match to Dementia Clinical Trials
- Access to cutting-edge treatments
- Latest clinical trials
- Find trials in your area
- Seek professional help to help you cope with your diagnosis and the changes you are experiencing.
- Make sure to communicate your needs to those closest to you so that they know how to help you.
- Maintain a lifestyle that’s as active as possible, both physically and psychologically.
- Allow yourself to grieve after your diagnosis, but don’t let dementia define who you are.
- Think about your plans for the future. Talk to your loved ones about your wishes, and consider going to a lawyer to plan your financial future.
- Don’t be ashamed to ask for help when you need it.
- Take time to accept and cope with your loved one’s diagnosis.
- Show affection to your loved one and be reassuring.
- Create a safe and understanding environment and prepare for future changes in your loved one’s condition.
- Simplify daily tasks and activities when necessary, by breaking them down into smaller steps that are more manageable for your loved one.
- Make sure to have people there to help, whether they are family members, friends or healthcare professionals.
- Consider therapy to help you cope with the changes occurring in your life.
- Dementia. Mayo Clinic (Aug 2nd,2017) Recovered from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013
- Dementia. World Health Organization (December, 2017). Recovered from https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs362/en/