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Have you ever done that...gone into the next room and not remembered what the trip was for?  I have and I imagine you may have also. Some of our elders experience this sort of fleeting forgetfulness and we may tend to wonder...is it Alzheimer's?  Not necessarily so...it may be due to stress...overload of the nervous system, or simply juggling too many tasks at one time.

It may be time to remember to slow down and only multi-task when necessary to get a project out on time. When you feel overwhelmed, take time out to enjoy nature or some other very pleasurable experience. Usually, these short respite breaks will recharge your vitality and your memory can receive a boost at the same time.

However, if the forgetting what you came into the next room for trend continues...it may be time for a serious break or even a cognitive check-up. Early detection of Dementia or Alzheimer's is vital, since some symptoms are treatable.

If you suspect that you or your aging parent may be suffering symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, do you know what the common symptoms are?

According to Web MD:

Dementia is the loss of mental functions -- such as thinking, memory, and reasoning -- that is severe enough to interfere with a person's daily functioning. Dementia is not a disease itself, but rather a group of symptoms that are caused by various diseases or conditions. Symptoms can also include changes in personality, mood, and behavior. In some cases, the dementia can be treated and cured because the cause is treatable.

Examples of this include dementia caused by substance abuse (illicit drugs and alcohol), combinations of prescription medications, and hormone or vitamin imbalances. In some cases, although the person may appear to have dementia, a severe depression can be causing the symptoms. This is known as pseudo-dementia (false dementia) and is highly treatable. In most cases, however, a true dementia cannot be cured.

Dementia develops when the parts of the brain that are involved with learning, memory, decision-making, and language are affected by one or more of a variety of infections or diseases. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, but there are as many as 50 other known causes. Most of these causes are very rare.

Because some causes of dementia can be cured or partially treated, it is very important that your doctor is thorough when making the diagnosis, so as not to miss potentially treatable conditions. The frequency of "treatable" causes of dementia is believed to be about 10%.

What Causes Dementia?


There are several things which could cause dementia

o Diseases that cause degeneration or loss of nerve cells in the brain
o Diseases that affect blood vessels, such as stroke
o Toxic reactions, like excessive alcohol or drug use.
o Nutritional deficiencies, like vitamin B12 and folate deficiency
o Infections that affect the brain and spinal cord, such as AIDS dementia   complex
o Certain types of hydrocephalus, an accumulation of fluid in the brain
o Head injury -- either a single severe head injury or longer term smaller injuries, like in boxers.
o Illness other than in the brain -- kidney, liver, and lung diseases can all lead to dementia.

Alzheimer's disease causes 50-60% of all dementias. But researchers have found that two nervous diseases, which were originally incorrectly diagnosed as Alzheimer's, are emerging as major causes of dementia: Lewy body disease and Pick's disease.
               
      

How common is dementia?
Diseases that affect blood vessels, such as stroke, which can cause a disorder known as multi-infarct dementia. Dementia caused by nervous system disease, especially Alzheimer's disease, is increasing in frequency more than most other types of dementia. Some researchers suspect that as many as half of all people over 80 years old develop Alzheimer's disease. Also, the increased incidence of AIDS dementia complex, which results from HIV infection, helps account for the increased dementia in recent history, although with the invention of newer and better drugs to treat HIV, the occurrence of AIDS-associated dementia is declining.

Next time: How can a caregiver find support when dealing with a loved-one with dementia or Alzheimer's?

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