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Causes of Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease

There are two main types of Alzheimer’s disease: early onset and late onset. Individuals who are diagnosed with the disease before the age of 65 are classified as early onset. Those who are diagnosed after the age of 65 are classified as late onset. The cause of the disease is not known, but there are risk known risk factors including age, lifestyle, and heredity factors. In recent years, researchers have linked genetic factors as well. The stages of the disease are marked by changes in overall cognitive and physical functioning. In the early stages, memory loss and changes in executive functioning are apparent. In the late stages, cognitive functioning diminishes to the point where the individual loses the ability to engage in basic activities of daily living (bathing, grooming, dressing, and dining) and the capacity for verbal expression. Toward the end stage, the individual will also lose the ability to ambulate and move purposefully.

Lewy Body Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a disease that manifests in ways that are similar to other types of diseases that cause dementia. Patients with LBD exhibit the cognitive changes related to Alzheimer’s disease and the physical changes related to Parkinson’s disease. The change in functioning is due to the presence of Lewy Bodies, protein structures that develop in different parts of the brain. The same types of structures have been found in individuals diagnosed with Parkinon’s. Individuals with Lewy Body disease also have plaques and tangles, which are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Some have speculated that Lewy Body is a variant of Alzheimer’s or is another type of Parkinson’s. The disease also produces hallucinations and delusional problems for some individuals.

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia results from brain tissue damage. Such damage is caused when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. The interruption may occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood in the brain or when a blood vessel breaks. The damage can range from minor to major physical and mental changes. The tissue damage can cause memory loss, personality change, loss of movement, as well as overall functional limitations, including the impairment of ADLs. Overall cognitive and intellectual loss can also occur, depending on the extent of the damage.

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Other Causes

Other diseases that cause dementia include:

• Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease • Huntington's chorea • Infectious diseases, such as encephalitis, HIV, or syphilis • Multiple sclerosis • Parkinson’s disease • Pick’s disease

Reversible Dementias

Some diseases that cause dementia can be treated and the dementia reversed. These diseases include:

• Brain tumors • Chronic alcohol abuse • Drug use and abuse • Exposure to toxins or toxic substances • Hydrocephalus • Hypoxia • Metabolic conditions and disorders • Nutritional deficiencies

Dementia Resources

Many organizations maintain Web sites that provide excellent information on the various diseases that cause dementia. Enter the following terms into any search engine to learn more about each disease:

• Alzheimer’s Association • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Creutzfeldt-

Jacob Disease • Huntington’s Disease Society of America • Lewy Body Dementia Association • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—

Encaphalitis & Meningitis • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—

Picks Disease • National Multiple Sclerosis Society • National Parkinson Foundation • National Prevention Information Network—HIV • National Stroke Association

Causes of Dementia
There are two main types of Alzheimer’s disease: early onset and late onset. Individuals who are diagnosed with the disease before the age of 65 are classified as early onset. Those who are diagnosed after the age of 65 are classified as late onset. The cause of the disease is not known, but there are risk known risk factors including age, lifestyle, and heredity factors. In recent years, researchers have linked genetic factors as well. The stages of the disease are marked by changes in overall cognitive and physical functioning. In the early stages, memory loss and changes in executive functioning are apparent. In the late stages, cognitive functioning diminishes to the point where the individual loses the ability to engage in basic activities of daily living (bathing, grooming, dressing, and dining) and the capacity for verbal expression. Toward the end stage, the individual will also lose the ability to ambulate and move purposefully.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a disease that manifests in ways that are similar to other types of diseases that cause dementia. Patients with LBD exhibit the cognitive changes related to Alzheimer’s disease and the physical changes related to Parkinson’s disease. The change in functioning is due to the presence of Lewy Bodies, protein structures that develop in different parts of the brain. The same types of structures have been found in individuals diagnosed with Parkinon’s. Individuals with Lewy Body disease also have plaques and tangles, which are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Some have speculated that Lewy Body is a variant of Alzheimer’s or is another type of Parkinson’s. The disease also produces hallucinations and delusional problems for some individuals.
Lewy Body
Vascular dementia results from brain tissue damage. Such damage is caused when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. The interruption may occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood in the brain or when a blood vessel breaks. The damage can range from minor to major physical and mental changes. The tissue damage can cause memory loss, personality change, loss of movement, as well as overall functional limitations, including the impairment of ADLs. Overall cognitive and intellectual loss can also occur, depending on the extent of the damage.
Vascular Dementia
Other diseases that cause dementia include:
Other Causes
 Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
 Huntington's chorea
 Infectious diseases, such as encephalitis, HIV, or syphilis
 Multiple sclerosis
 Parkinson’s disease
 Pick’s disease
Some diseases that cause dementia can be treated and the dementia reversed. These diseases include:
Reversible Dementias
 Brain tumors
 Chronic alcohol abuse
 Drug use and abuse
 Exposure to toxins or toxic substances
 Hydrocephalus
 Hypoxia
 Metabolic conditions and disorders
 Nutritional deficiencies
Many organizations maintain Web sites that provide excellent information on the various diseases that cause dementia. Enter the following terms into any search engine to learn more about each disease:
Dementia Resources
 Alzheimer’s Association
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease
 Huntington’s Disease Society of America
 Lewy Body Dementia Association
 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—Encaphalitis & Meningitis
 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—Picks Disease
 National Multiple Sclerosis Society
 National Parkinson Foundation
 National Prevention Information Network—HIV
 National Stroke Association

Causes of Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease

Lewy Body

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a disease that manifests in ways that are similar to other types of diseases that cause dementia. Patients with LBD exhibit the cognitive changes related to Alzheimer’s disease and the physical changes related to Parkinson’s disease. The change in functioning is due to the presence of Lewy Bodies, protein structures that develop in different parts of the brain. The same types of structures have been found in individuals diagnosed with Parkinon’s. Individuals with Lewy Body disease also have plaques and tangles, which are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Some have speculated that Lewy Body is a variant of Alzheimer’s or is another type of Parkinson’s. The disease also produces hallucinations and delusional problems for some individuals.

Vascular Dementia

Other Causes

Other diseases that cause dementia include:

· Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease

· Huntington's chorea

· Infectious diseases, such as encephalitis, HIV, or syphilis

· Multiple sclerosis

· Parkinson’s disease

· Pick’s disease

Reversible Dementias

Some diseases that cause dementia can be treated and the dementia reversed. These diseases include:

· Brain tumors

· Chronic alcohol abuse

· Drug use and abuse

· Exposure to toxins or toxic substances

· Hydrocephalus

· Hypoxia

· Metabolic conditions and disorders

· Nutritional deficiencies

Dementia Resources

· Alzheimer’s Association

· Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease

· Huntington’s Disease Society of America

· Lewy Body Dementia Association

· National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—Encaphalitis & Meningitis

· National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke—Picks Disease

· National Multiple Sclerosis Society

· National Parkinson Foundation

· National Prevention Information Network—HIV

· National Stroke Association

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Elderly Development