Dementia in adults. Diagnosis, symptoms, signs, treatment

Senile dementia is a persistent disorder of higher nervous activity that develops in older people and is accompanied by a loss of acquired skills and knowledge, as well as a decrease in learning ability.

Source: mozgvtonuse.com

Higher nervous activity includes processes that occur in the higher parts of the human central nervous system (conditioned and unconditioned reflexes, higher mental functions). Improvement of mental processes of higher nervous activity occurs in theoretical (during the learning process) and empirical (by obtaining direct experience, testing acquired theoretical knowledge in practice) ways. Higher nervous activity is associated with neurophysiological processes occurring in the cerebral cortex and subcortex.

Timely adequate treatment can slow down the progression of the pathological process, improve social adaptation, maintain self-care skills and prolong life.

Senile dementia is most often observed in the age group over 65 years. According to statistics, severe dementia is diagnosed in 5%, and mild dementia in 16% of people in this age category. According to information provided by the World Health Organization, a significant increase in the number of patients with senile dementia is expected in the coming decades, which is primarily due to increased life expectancy, accessibility and improved quality of medical care, allowing to avoid death even in cases of severe brain damage .

Description

The name came to us from the Latin language. The disease affects the brain, causes irreversible destruction of the higher nervous system and manifests itself as cognitive impairment. A person loses knowledge and practical skills and is unable to learn something new. His mental abilities sharply decline, his memory deteriorates, and he begins to suffer from a personality disorder.

This common pathology has been studied all over the world for several decades. All studies on this topic have shown that almost 48 million people on the planet are affected by a serious disease. The World Health Organization predicts that cases will almost double by 2030, and by 2050 this figure will increase to 136 million. Statistics provide disappointing facts that show that the percentage of those experiencing the attack is higher in countries with low and middle economic standard of living.

In the Russian Federation, statistical data is not entirely accurate, since relatives consider this phenomenon to be a natural process of aging, and do not go to medical institutions for a diagnosis.

Diagnostics

The basis for diagnosis in the early stages of pathology development is the description of the patient’s behavior by the relatives around him.

Old people, due to decreased cognitive functions of the brain, do not realize that they are sick. Timely contact with a psychiatrist becomes the responsibility of loved ones. In the later stages of senile dementia, clinical signs allow an accurate diagnosis.

In the initial stages of the disease, it can be difficult to recognize the onset of marasmus.

For diagnosis, special “dementia tests” are used to memorize words, time and spatial orientation, and practical skills are assessed. If, as a result of the tests, the degree of cognitive impairment is in doubt, then re-testing is carried out after 6 months.

It is necessary to differentiate dementia from schizophrenia, in which a complex of similar symptoms occurs. Schizophrenia is characterized by mania and hallucinations, mood disorders, depression and delusions. But with this disease, the manifestation of clinical signs is temporary.

Instrumental examination methods play an important role in the diagnosis of senile dementia: MRI, encephalography and computed tomography. The data from these procedures make it possible to most accurately assess the nature of the disease and the degree of pronounced changes (atrophy, hydrocephalus) in the brain. Based on the results obtained, a diagnosis is made according to the ICD.

The international classification of the disease classifies dementia as an organic mental disorder.

How does dementia manifest in older people?

The disease has become much “younger” in recent years and knows no boundaries. Dementors can become not only those who are over 70-80 years old, as was previously thought, but also fifty. The symptoms frighten those at home who are in the same area as the “monster,” who loses his memory, throws dishes and destroys the apartment, rushes to fight on loved ones, smears excrement on the walls and bed, and often runs away from home. This behavior can last from three months to several years. The result of the disease is absolute immobility. The most difficult time is coming for relatives. Friends and comrades somehow quickly disappear from their lives; it happens that the husband cannot stand it and leaves the family.

Often the population does not have complete information about how to deal with such patients. Doctors prescribe therapeutic treatment, but do not say how the caregiver’s existence will change in the future.

This problem can be solved, because in Russia there are a large number of institutions for the elderly. For example, the network of boarding houses for the elderly “Zabota” presents 10 cozy houses in the Moscow region. They accommodate more than 500 wards. Medically trained staff provide first-class care for the elderly. A complete five-course meal has been developed, where the menu is compiled individually for each person, according to the recommendations of a specialist. The staff takes care of physical and mental health. Every day they try to diversify their leisure time with active games, musical evenings, thematic conversations, and picnics. Gymnastics and classes to restore mental abilities are conducted daily.

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Treatment

Despite the fact that dementia is irreversible, it is possible and necessary to fight the progress of the pathology. Care and attention from relatives and properly selected therapy can not only improve the quality of life of an old person, but also prolong it.

Treatment of senile dementia is aimed primarily at suppressing and relieving symptoms. In vascular forms of the disease, it is necessary to take measures to eliminate its causes - treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis, vascular ischemia.

The treatment of senile dementia is based on the following principles:

• correction of existing cognitive skills;
• prevention of progression of symptoms;
• individual approach to drug therapy;
• choice of psychotropic drugs (haloperidol and its analogues are prescribed with caution due to side effects);
• improved quality of life and care from loved ones.

Auxiliary means used in therapy:

• medications that improve cerebral circulation;
• drugs that stimulate cerebral metabolic processes;
• antioxidants that slow down the aging process;
• neuroleptics and antidepressants.

Treatment can be carried out in a hospital, but it is still necessary to take into account that a familiar environment and a familiar environment are more preferable in the fight against the symptoms of dementia.

Necessary measures are normalization of blood pressure, lipid metabolism and blood sugar. It is necessary to promptly treat infectious diseases that can lead to severe complications and death.

It is important to create a warm, safe environment, try to surround the patient with attention and care, and, if possible, involve him in doing feasible physical exercises. There is no need to expect quick results from the patient. Relatives and friends must be patient, because the old man has done a lot for the family, and it is not his fault that he is unable to cope with the disease.

The disease cannot be cured, but it is possible to create favorable conditions for an elderly person, provide him with comfort and supervision. Regularly performing simple household chores can help a person maintain existing skills and prolong life.

In a terminal condition, the patient will require constant care. If relatives do not have the opportunity to constantly be near the patient, then the solution to the problem is to use the services of a nurse.

To help a person suffering from dementia, it is necessary to conduct regular training of intellectual abilities. A person needs to be adapted to life and partially compensate for lost skills with new ones. This will help get rid of the imminent onset of a severe stage of mental disorders.

To maintain brain abilities, there are many traditional medicine recipes.

For example, eating blueberries helps strengthen memory and thinking ability.

Herbal teas with chamomile and sage are beneficial. Elecampane will help cope with metabolic disorders. In addition, it has antioxidant properties.

Causes of dementia in the elderly

Basically, the impetus for negative changes is already existing diseases that arose due to damage to the central nervous system, such as Alzheimer's, Pica and Lewy body syndrome. But the death of brain cells can also be provoked by:

• High blood pressure.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Benign and malignant tumors.
• Stroke.
• Addiction to tobacco and alcohol.
• Head injuries.
• AIDS.
• Meningitis.
• Viral encephalitis.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Endocrine pathologies.
• Lupus erythematosus.

At risk are people whose immediate relatives were already dementors under the age of 65, or suffered from diabetes and obesity.

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Classification

Depending on the area affected, there are 4 types of dementia; Dementia is accompanied by various symptoms. More details in the table below:

Manifestations in old people

The most commonly manifested syndrome is senile senile dementia - a demented disease that occurs in the elderly as a result of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disorders, as a result of alcohol abuse, mechanical damage and other reasons. According to statistics, more than 80% of cases are diagnosed in people over 65-70 years of age. As a rule, a person has problems with memory, the functions of oral and written speech are impaired, irritability and uncontrolled aggression appear. In the later stages, there are hallucinations, delusions, and impaired motor skills.

See also: How to recognize Parkinson's disease at an early stage: first symptoms and signs

In children

At a younger age, the problem can be caused by a genetic shift, traumatic brain injury, or viral infection. In early childhood, the patient loses acquired skills and abilities, and the child experiences difficulty constructing sentences. If the pathology arose while still in school, there may be a deterioration in performance, physical and mental activity decreases, even if speech is not affected. In high school and during adolescence, dementia syndrome sometimes manifests itself in difficulties with memorization, unclear speech, the child begins to get tired very quickly and cannot concentrate on studies.

Classification of types of disease in the weaker sex

Senile dementia is divided into three types:

• Atrophic. It is characterized by primary degeneration in the brain.
• Vascular. It is also called secondary, as it develops against the background of existing deviations.
• Mixed. It is based on the two previous points.
• Multifocal. The entire nervous system is affected.

Experts also distinguish cortical and subcortical localizations.

Provoking factors for early signs of dementia in women under 50 years of age

The causes are point mutations in the DNMT3A and TET2 genes, which are responsible for vascular growth throughout the life cycle.

American and Australian scientists have proven that an unhealthy lifestyle also leads to dementia.

For prevention it is necessary:

• Do not abuse tobacco and alcohol products.
• Eat nutritiously and nutritiously. Include fish, vegetables and fruits in your diet.
• Engage in active sports.
• Strengthen neural connections by keeping the brain in good shape by reading and learning foreign languages.
• Work on a computer, master gadgets (brain “training”).
• Don't ignore depressive disorders.
• Treat yourself for hypertension and diabetes.
• Do not ignore hearing loss or deterioration and seek advice from an otolaryngologist.

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Features of manifestations of age-related dementia in women

Its representatives are by nature more emotional than men, and therefore are subject to frequent mood swings. You should pay attention if you or a loved one exhibits:

• Irritability.
• Sudden aggression.
• Tearfulness or unreasonable laughter.
• Long-term severe depression.
• Excessive suspicion.
• Unreasonable stubbornness.
• Reluctance to communicate.
• Accusations against relatives, neighbors or complete strangers.

Causes

It is impossible to say unequivocally what was the cause of the development of the disease: there are many factors that have a negative impact on the nervous and vascular systems, which lead to senile dementia.

Most doctors are of this opinion: the disease affects those people who experience general aging of the circulatory and neuropsychological systems.

It is impossible to talk about a hereditary background one hundred percent, but it may turn out to be the decisive link that tips the scales on the side of pathology.

The following factors can cause senile dementia:

1. Vascular changes in the brain , that is, atherosclerosis - the formation of so-called cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels, leading to increased permeability, deterioration of nutritional functions and blood supply to the organ.
2. Necrosis of brain tissue due to a stroke is hemorrhage in a certain area, which subsequently undergoes destructive changes.
3. Infectious diseases leading to damage to areas of the brain.
4. Receiving head injuries , which causes a break between neural connections, which are subsequently replaced by connective tissue.
5. A growing tumor causes compression of certain areas in which malfunctions occur or their complete exclusion from activity.

The causes of senile dementia can be various concomitant diseases , causing gradual depression or destruction of vital body systems.

Diabetes mellitus, chronic alcoholism, immunodeficiency virus - have a detrimental effect on all organs, primarily on blood vessels and nerves.

The underlying causes of the development of senile dementia is inhibition of brain functions.

This can happen due to one factor or several: in the latter case they speak of a mixed type.

The first signs and symptoms of dementia in a woman

You will determine the onset of the disease by how the patient formulates her ideas during a conversation, how poorly she has become able to remember information, whether she is able to reason and analyze, how she conducts conversations with others and how attentive she is.

We will also give you 12 signals that you can use to make a preliminary diagnosis.

Early symptoms of dementia

Dementia in adults (symptoms will be described in more detail later in the article) has no cure.

Symptoms of dementia in adults

With the help of drug therapy, the severity of characteristic symptoms can be reduced and the patient’s condition can be stabilized. The patient has difficulty communicating and begins to forget important dates.

Difficulty finding the right word

Difficulty finding suitable words is considered the earliest symptom of senile dementia. A person cannot clearly express his thoughts; pauses slip through the dialogue. The patient needs time to find the right word and continue the conversation.

Anxiety, suspiciousness

Suspiciousness and anxiety are considered a sign of dementia if a previously cheerful and open person began to be suspicious of close friends and relatives. The patient shows confidence, he is haunted by obsessive ideas and thoughts. It seems to a person that others are biased towards him.

Constant mood swings, depression

The process of destruction of brain cells is accompanied by the development of disorders of the endocrine system. In the human body, the production of hormones responsible for regulating mood is slowed down. In this case, the risk of depression is quite high.

Personality changes

Personality changes indicate the emergence of new character traits. A previously sociable, outgoing person becomes more shy, and a cheerful person turns into a grumpy and dissatisfied person. Personality defects are accompanied by a loss of values, attitudes and specific character traits.

Increased forgetfulness

Forgetfulness is another sign of dementia. An elderly person gradually begins to forget not only important dates, but also events that occurred more recently.

He does not remember the topics of the conversation, he is not able to remember what he ate for lunch or dinner. The patient may lose personal items, forgetting them on the street or in public places.

Disorders of orientation in time and space

An elderly person suffering from dementia ceases to navigate in space and time. The patient cannot remember the date of the celebration or the day of the week. Disorientation is often accompanied by a disturbance of consciousness: the patient ceases to recognize colleagues, friends and relatives.

Loss of interest in hobbies

Loss of interest in a hobby that previously brought pleasure and pleasure indicates the development of dementia in an elderly person. The symptom is stable, over time it becomes a personal feature: the patient ceases to experience positive emotions from life.

Loss of ability to follow conversational logic or verbosity

An elderly person suffering from dementia loses the ability to focus attention on the interlocutor. He is constantly distracted by what is happening around him, a conversation related to one or another event suddenly flows into another direction. A person cannot clearly formulate a thought and gets stuck in memories.

Tendency to constantly rearrange, hide, accumulate objects

With dementia, memory and personality deteriorate. An elderly person becomes suspicious and develops a need to collect. The patient begins to accumulate pieces of furniture and clothing, and hide personal belongings (including money) from relatives. People often forget where the cache is.

Aimlessness

With dementia, a person loses the ability to plan something and concentrate on one object. He can leave home to go to the store and return empty-handed.

The patient walks aimlessly around the house or street, asking the same questions, forgetting that he had already received answers to them.

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Difficulty expressing your thoughts

Don't get discouraged if you can't find the right word from time to time. Perhaps the reason is excitement. But if you or your relative call the bed “the thing they sleep on” and are unable to remember the correct name, then this is a signal that there are brain disorders and it’s time to take action. And the sooner the better.

In addition, if you find it difficult to describe your thoughts on paper and feel inhibited, then dementia is already progressing!

Short-term memory lapses

It often happens that out of absent-mindedness we put something somewhere and then look for it. Or we forget the name of a friend, artist and writer. We remember a conversation or event that happened for a long time. Here, a doctor’s consultation is already necessary, since this may become a sign, if not of dementia, then of inflammation or atrophy of the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the main ganglia.

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But nervous system failures also include the following symptoms:

• request to repeat the same sentence several times;
• the need for constant reminders and notes on paper;
• difficulty remembering what recently happened.

Bad dream

If you notice a disturbance in your relative’s sleep patterns, that is, he wants to stay awake at night and rest during the day, this is often a signal of the onset of an illness.

Personality changes and mood swings

Dementia overtakes people when their character changes dramatically. They become:

• oppressed;
• anxious and suspicious;
• depressed;
• silent;
• aggressive or grouchy.

They usually do this in an uncomfortable environment and when they perform unusual actions.

Errors in judgment

Contact your doctor immediately and get tested if you:

• They stopped filling out bills and documents correctly.
• You can no longer distinguish between the denominations of banknotes, are confused by price tags, and are unable to do basic mathematical calculations in your head.
• You can’t determine by eye the distance from one object to another, you get lost in orientation.
• You forget the order of simple processes (for example, preparing an omelet).

Signs, symptoms and features of the development of dementia

Senile dementia at the initial stage of development and without exposure to harmful factors manifests itself in a mild form.

Patients become distracted , they often experience unreasonable mood swings, they become withdrawn or, on the contrary, seek attention.

Also, the disease can occur completely hidden and close people do not notice strong changes in behavior or refer to old age.

The onset of dementia can be identified by the following signs::

1. A person's personality becomes sharpened. Personality traits that have long been of a soft or superficial type become pronounced.
2. The feeling of self-criticism and self-esteem disappears, the patient becomes indifferent to himself.
3. Recent events disappear from memory, and over time, moments from the distant past are also forgotten.
4. If the cause of dementia is vascular pathology and a stroke, then the patient’s speech is impaired and writing skills are lost.
5. An elderly person begins to suffer from insomnia, and during the daytime he feels overwhelmed.

Many relatives note behavior like that of a child, which progresses if proper care and treatment are not provided.

Intelligence may be preserved until the end of days, but the patient will suffer from psycho-emotional disorders.

Senile dementia in people 80 years of age and older in half of the cases has pronounced manifestations, which at the first occurrence cause fear among relatives.

In this case, the entire course of the disease directly depends on the assistance provided.

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Clutter in my head

Significant disturbances lead to disorientation. Also, such a person does not remember past events, is not able to choose the type of activity at the moment, does not understand the meaning of the conversation, and does not distinguish the faces of acquaintances.

Elevated amyloid beta levels

The peptide, which accumulates in the brain, destroys neural connections and forms amyloid plaques. Their accumulation leads to anxiety and irritability. Their increase contributes to shifts in the rhythms of sleep and wakefulness.

Loss of sense of humor

Patients lose the ability to adequately respond to sarcasm directed at them, often become offended and begin to behave inappropriately with the joker. And vice versa, they laugh when watching TV shows with tragic news (murder, catastrophes, mass disasters). Illogical and absurd behavior appears in the final stages of dementia.

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Depressive state

It’s worth thinking about if your loved one has always been active, but recently became depressed, is not interested in the problems of other people, does not engage in his hobbies, has lost all interest in work and avoids the company of friends. If he spends the day from TV to bed, then he should be persuaded to see a neurologist.

Neglect of personal hygiene

Another clear evidence of the onset of dementia, where the following things are present:

• Reluctance to get yourself in order in the morning (comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face).
• Ignoring showering procedures.
• Untidy clothing.
• Laziness, due to which the patient does not trim his fingernails and toenails.

To persuasion and calls to take care of yourself, the answer is: “why do it if everyone around you is your own?”

Traffic violation

Difficulties in coordination lead to the fact that the patient often falls when walking. It is difficult for him to go down and up stairs and take a bath on his own. He will not find the right way home, as his spatial vision will change. He is unable to distinguish the parameters of objects, the distance between them.

Stages of the disease

The disease is characterized by slow development. Relatives take the first signs of behavioral deviations as natural age-related characteristics, and therefore do not attach importance to them.

There are three stages: mild (initial), moderate and severe.

To recognize the disease, it is important to know the characteristics of each stage of dementia.

1. The mild (initial) stage is similar to natural age-related changes. At the same time, mental abilities decrease. The changes concern primarily the intellectual sphere. The person is self-critical of the changes that are taking place. He retains household skills and does not require outside care. Forgetfulness appears occasionally, and some character traits become aggravated, such as scrupulousness.
2. The moderate stage is characterized by an increase in impairments in the intellectual sphere. The qualities inherent in the personality are somewhat smoothed out, and the patient’s behavior becomes typical for this group. Sloppiness, carelessness may appear, and household skills may be lost. Features of the stage are memory lapses. The person does not lose hygiene skills, but there is a risk of accidental harm to himself. Therefore, in the moderate stage, care and constant attention from loved ones is needed.
3. The severe (final) stage is characterized by an extreme degree of amnesia, complete loss of criticism, hygiene skills, and personality disintegration. Patients are unable to care for themselves and require constant care, including feeding and hygiene procedures.

The last stage of the disease leads to a relatively rapid decline of the body. The patient gradually turns into a bedridden patient, unable to recognize loved ones. When neurological disorders occur in severe stages of vascular forms, the patient may suddenly develop paralysis.

Due to impaired coordination of movements and incoherent speech, the patient is unable to describe how she feels. Any infection can pose a serious threat to life, and problems with motor abilities can lead to injuries and fractures.

When examining patients in a severe stage, a doctor must rely on his own experience to prevent the development of infectious diseases.

In elderly patients, when viruses and pathogenic bacteria enter the body, fever does not develop, and leukocytosis is not noted in a clinical blood test. Any infection can lead to the death of the patient.

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Putting things in their places

All people, at least once in their lives, have such moments when they have hastily put something away, but in the morning you cannot find it. In a healthy person this happens in isolated cases. He calmly thinks about and reproduces the whole of yesterday evening step by step. Those affected by senile dementia may leave, for example, a comb in the freezer of the refrigerator, and then blame their household members for it.

Differences in the disease between men and women

The manifestations of dementia in men and women are largely similar.

According to statistics, women are more susceptible to the onset of insanity. Symptoms of female dementia are more pronounced.

This is explained by the fact that the fairer sex has a more mobile psyche than men. Therefore, the main differences between male and female symptoms of dementia appear in the emotional sphere.

Manifestations of dementia in women:

• increased stubbornness;
• constant tearfulness, touchiness;
• manic suspicion.

The first signs of male insanity:

• conservatism in judgment, denial of everything new;
• a penchant for teaching and edification;
• exaggeration of past achievements;
• perversion in the sexual sphere;
• selfishness, indifference to others;
• excessive jealousy.

Late dementia occurs in the same way in men and women.

How not to confuse the symptoms of early dementia and natural aging

Usually, people turn to doctors for help in the late stages of the disease, when the patient one day gets lost on the street, not remembering his address. At this time, it is already difficult to help a patient who has up to seven years to live. That is why doctors warn that if you experience the signs that we discussed above, you must definitely show up at a medical facility. It’s better to come to the clinic just like that than to miss the moment and watch your loved one’s mind fade away.

The examination should be carried out at the stage of apathy, absent-mindedness, aggressiveness, isolation and deterioration in the ability to remember.

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Video: all about senile dementia

We offer a visual overview of the entire process about the initial signs and symptoms of dementia in women.

Mechanism of disease

The pathogenesis of senile dementia is caused by a malfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary system. In this case, a hormonal imbalance occurs in the body, the connection between the cortex and the subcortical structure is disrupted. The disruption of the activity of the centers leads to the gradual death of neurons.

As a result, diffuse atrophy of areas of the cerebral cortex occurs, its mass decreases, and the convolutions are smoothed out.

The decline in brain function is caused by the gradual death of neurons and the formation of necrotic foci. Neurons are responsible for mental processes, social adaptation and intelligence.

Vascular dementia is the result of circulatory disorders. How dementia will progress and how much it will affect the patient’s life expectancy directly depends on whether there has been a history of stroke (acute cerebrovascular accident) and ischemic vascular damage.

Signs of dementia in vascular dementia take a very long time to develop. The reason for this is the process of death of brain cells as a result of oxygen starvation. This type of disease is characterized by long-term memory retention.

In men, the predisposition to vascular dementia is one and a half times higher than in women.

There is post-traumatic dementia, the impetus for the development of which is infections and brain injuries. The clinic begins with manifestations of forgetfulness and leads to a complete loss of self-control. Dementia of any of these types is an irreversible process.

Comparison of the behavior of a healthy and sick person

Have you noticed strange illogical actions or an unkempt appearance in a relative, and this has alerted you? Then drop all planned activities and watch him for a few days.

Urgently go to a neurologist when you see such abnormalities:

• Decreased mental skills and memory.
• Aggression.
• Absent-mindedness.
• Loss of time and orientation.
• Forgetfulness.
• Substitution of concepts and phrases.
• Stumbling out of the blue.
• Mathematical errors when filling out invoices.
• Night wakefulness.
• Apathy at work.
• Loss of sense of humor.
• Walking aimlessly from room to room.

Marasmus after stroke

Dementia often begins to progress after a stroke.

This type of disease is called vascular dementia. It accounts for almost half of the cases of the disease.

The development of the disease is provoked by a deterioration in cerebral circulation, as a result of which most of the nerve cells die. Signs of post-stroke dementia vary depending on the location of the hemorrhage.

If a stroke occurs in the cortical part of the brain, the patient will experience the following symptoms:

• speech disorders;
• loss of spatial orientation;
• loss of household skills.

If subcortical structures are affected, this leads to the following changes:

• distraction;
• violation of movement coordination;
• changes in the emotional sphere: antics, strange facial expressions, screams, causeless hysterics.

The main signs and manifestations of dementia from the initial stage to total dementia

Everything we listed above is an early stage of the disease. But depending on the lesion, a person may experience:

• Severe mental disorders.
• Hallucative reasoning (when a conversation is conducted with fictional characters).
• Inability to remember past events.
• Complete collapse of personality.
• Impaired speech and ability to recognize things.
• Insanity, in which mental and physical work declines.

In addition, you can easily check for shifts by type of activity. If there is a driver in front of you, then pay attention to the following:

• how he navigates familiar terrain;
• does he drive according to the signs?
• how it reacts to force majeure circumstances;
• which turn signal turns on when changing traffic;
• what is his behavior during traffic jams, will he calmly wait for passage or will he overtake on the side of the road;
• whether control mechanisms are confused.

Clinical variants and causes of dementia

Classification of the clinical development and course of the disease is possible according to several types. They identify a problem that occurred against the background of alcohol addiction, vascular abnormalities, as well as Alzheimer’s and Lewy bodies.

Alcoholic

The main impetus for the appearance of disorders is long-term abuse of alcohol-containing drinks (from 10-12 years and longer). It is characterized by serious personal changes, including social and moral degradation, loss of moral values, and aggressiveness. In addition, the patient usually exhibits severe absent-mindedness and experiences pathologies of thinking.

If you completely stop drinking alcohol, there is a chance of partial restoration of the functionality of the central nervous system and brain, but this is rare. When the craving for the bottle is stronger than willpower, and the disease of dementia progresses. Death is often caused by failure of internal organs, an accident or a criminal factor.

Vascular

This type develops due to the death of brain cells due to circulatory failure or blockage of blood flow. These phenomena, in turn, are most often caused by a stroke or chronic dysfunction. Usually, the immediate death of a large number of cells provokes the accelerated development of the disease. The intensity of intellectual degradation directly depends on the size of the affected area and its location.

Alzheimer's type dementia

The symptoms of such a disorder are short-term memory impairments that progress over time, and the person ceases to understand that not everything is okay with his condition. In the absence of therapy, the patient begins to not recognize relatives and friends, does not remember the events of the current day, while memories, for example, from childhood seem more real to him. Irritability and pickiness towards others appear, which can coexist with naivety and gullibility towards unfamiliar individuals.

For pensioners

Elderly people most often experience this disease. Elderly patients with dementia are those whose mental and physical activity is rapidly declining, but they can live like this for several decades. Depending on the severity, their behavioral abnormalities range from mild to severe (speech disturbances, memory lapses, unstable coordination, violent or inappropriate behavior). It is not difficult to understand that relatives living in the same area as the patient suffer the most, and in addition, at a later stage, the patient can be dangerous to others. This becomes a good reason to place a person in a private boarding house for the elderly with dementia.

Disease detection test

There are several ways to determine the onset of senile dementia. We present one of them, which will help distinguish the natural decline of the body from dementia. It should be remembered that only a qualified physician can obtain the most reliable result. Check:

• How does a person navigate space, can he find his way home if something happens, can he distinguish between units of time.
• Short-term and long-term memory.
• Performing tasks to decompose a simple process into algorithms, for example, making coffee or washing clothes.
• Visual perception - asked to draw one or more simple shapes on paper.
• Patient's speech. It also turns out how the subject hears others.
• The client's knowledge of the world around him. The doctor asks to announce the purpose of the items.
• Intelligence. For this purpose, different research methods are used.

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Symptoms of the disease

The first sign of the development of the disease is a change in character. Some qualities may become more pronounced.

Depending on the stage, dementia in the elderly is expressed in typical symptoms of varying intensity:

• memory impairment - short-term and long-term;
• slowing down the speed of thinking;
• partial and complete loss of professional and everyday skills;
• loss of the ability to be critical of one's actions;
• maladjustment in society;
• impairment of the ability to express thoughts competently;
• confusion;
• tremor of the limbs;
• impaired coordination of movements;
• partial and complete loss of self-identity;
• excitement of the nervous system for no apparent reason;
• shift in periods of sleep and wakefulness;
• loss of will;
• destruction of the emotional sphere.

Character traits with the development of pathology appear more noticeably: frugality can develop into stinginess, caution into suspicion, accuracy into meticulousness. Symptoms of senile dementia in the early stages are mistaken for age-related changes. Over time, relatives begin to notice increased grumpiness, cruelty and indifference on the part of the elderly person, which were not previously characteristic of him.

At the same time, the range of interests is narrowing. Forgetfulness manifests itself in isolated episodes. An elderly person first loses things, forgets names and other information, and then more pronounced signs of amnesia appear. Memory lapses are replaced by fictitious events. A person can “fall into childhood” and feel like a child. Behavior in this case corresponds to the age at which the patient imagines himself.

With senile insanity, the cause of which is Pick's disease, a person can become hypersexual, deliberately rude, and behave provocatively.

Subcortical instincts are released - shamelessness and sloppiness, which a person could previously control. The emotional sphere becomes impoverished, isolation and gloominess appear in the character. In some cases, sudden mood swings, increased suspicion, and violent aggression are noted.

Symptoms are especially unpredictable in patients with chronic diseases - diabetes and hypertension. Changes in blood pressure and surges in blood sugar levels can trigger mental seizures.

A person loses most of his everyday skills, reducing self-care to primitive actions. Creativity is a thing of the past.

Having passed the middle stage of the disease, the patient becomes prone to vagrancy and theft.

In the severe stage, the patient cannot recognize himself in the mirror and does not recognize his relatives. He is unable to climb the stairs on his own or find the door to his own apartment.

There is a complete destruction of the psyche, hallucinations and delusions arise, speech becomes incoherent and incomprehensible to others. The ability to understand what is happening is completely lost, and personality degradation occurs.

Often patients in a severe stage refuse to eat, do not control the body’s natural urges, and resist hygiene procedures. Uncontrolled release of urine and feces occurs. A weak-minded person is not able to cope with household appliances, which poses a danger to the home and others.

In the final stage of dementia, the activity of internal organs is disrupted and neurological disorders occur. Due to physical and emotional exhaustion, the patient dies.

Any manifestations of the disease are not character traits, but pathology. Relatives of an elderly person must show understanding and patience, and make every effort to provide safe and comfortable care for the elderly patient.

Distinctive features of the weaker sex

According to statistics, the number of women suffering from dementia is almost twice as high as men. The reasons for this distribution have not yet been identified, but there are hypotheses:

• Representatives of the stronger half of humanity have a 10-15 year shorter lifespan, so they simply “pass away” earlier and do not live to the point of senile insanity.
• Scientists have found in them a new biological material that protects the cerebral cortex from the development of Alzheimer's.

After fifty years, hormonal changes in the body occur. During menopause, we recommend contacting a gynecologist who will prescribe comprehensive treatment. If after therapy your nervousness and tearfulness do not go away, then you need to see a neurologist.

First signs and manifestations

If a person who was previously active and sociable suddenly became secretive and silent, it is better to take a closer look at him. Maybe he’s just tired or upset about something, but the risk shouldn’t be ruled out, especially if he’s already advanced in age.

It’s better not to delay diagnosis

To find out what kind of disease in psychology is dementia, as well as what its symptoms are, it is better to contact qualified specialists. Only a doctor can tell for sure whether your relative is really not himself.

Can it be cured at a young age?

Often the problem is diagnosed at an intermediate or late stage, when any measures will only slightly slow down the development and further aggravation of the situation. Full treatment is impossible, but modern clinics prescribe therapy that will improve the quality of life of patients and reduce the manifestations of the disease to a minimum.

How to cure dementia at home

How to treat dementia (dementia) in adults? At the initial stage, treatment of dementia is possible at home.

The main condition is the prescription of therapy by a doctor.

It is prohibited to take antidepressants and other medications on your own, as this can worsen the situation.

The patient is not able to remember how and in what dosage he should take the drugs, so relatives should monitor this process. If it is not possible to constantly be with the patient, then you need to take care of a nurse.

With complicated dementia, a person can no longer move and it is difficult to contact him. In addition, sometimes such patients become dangerous to themselves and others.

The only correct decision in this situation is to place the patient in a specialized medical institution.

Drug therapy

The choice of drugs depends on the type of dementia and the cause that caused it.

Vascular dementia is treated with the following medications:

1. Antidementia drugs . One of the most popular is Memantine. It has a neuroprotective effect, prevents the destruction of neurons, improves memory.
2. Metabolic enhancers (Phosphatidylcholine), which slightly improve the functioning of brain neurons.
3. Antihypertensive drugs . They maintain normal blood pressure levels (Captopril, Capoten).
4. Disaggregants . These are drugs that prevent platelets from sticking together and blood thickening. Aspirin cardio is most often prescribed.
5. Antisclerotic agents that lower cholesterol levels (statins).
6. Medicines that improve blood supply to the brain (Cerebrolysin, Actovegin).
7. Corticosteroids are prescribed for inflammatory vascular lesions (vasculitis).

Symptomatic treatment of dementia is also necessary in order to somewhat reduce the negative manifestations of the disease.

The following drugs are used for this:

1. Antidepressants . They are prescribed in cases of progressive depressive states accompanied by suicidal thoughts. The most popular: Fluoxetine, Mianserin.
2. Sleeping pills are used to improve sleep in patients suffering from insomnia.

Antidepressants and sleeping pills are contraindicated for people with heart problems.

You should also be careful with the use of antipsychotics, these drugs can provoke an increase in aggression.

How to treat with folk remedies

Is it possible to cure dementia with folk remedies? Traditional medicine is used in complex treatment. As monotherapy, this method does not bring tangible results.

The following herbs are used to improve memory and attention:

• Eleutherococcus;
• lemongrass;
• ginseng.

The following recipes have also worked well:

1. A decoction of rowan bark. 50 grams of raw materials are poured into 200 ml of boiling water and boiled for 5 minutes. After cooling down, drink 50 ml 5 times a day.
2. A decoction of a mixture of valerian rhizomes and fennel fruits. The product reduces excitability and improves sleep. You can drink this decoction twice a day, 200 ml.
3. Tea made from ginkgo biloba leaves improves memory and prevents the destruction of brain cells.
4. Blueberry juice reduces atherosclerotic plaques and improves memory. Every day you need to drink 250 ml of juice.

Patients with dementia are prescribed vitamins:

1. Omega 3 . Improve memory and other cognitive functions in vascular dementia. This supplement must be taken continuously.
2. Vitamin E. The properties of the vitamin have been proven to reduce the symptoms of dementia, however, this remedy is contraindicated in heart pathologies.
3. Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant that improves heart and brain function.

What is the treatment for dementia based on? Find out from the video:

Alternative Methods

1. Gene therapy . It is supposed to influence genes that provoke the development of dementia. Thanks to this, the death of brain cells will stop and the process of restoring neural connections will begin.
2. Application of stem cells . These cells have the ability to transform into the tissue into which they are embedded. Scientists hope that stem cells can replace damaged brain tissue.
3. Vaccination . A vaccine against dementia is being developed. These developments are based on the fact that the immune system after vaccination will be able to recognize amyloid plaques and destroy the pathological protein.

However, all these methods are not official and are at the development and testing stage.

Psychological assistance of a doctor and psychiatry

If you have dementia, which doctor should you see?

Psychotherapeutic techniques are aimed at improving social adaptation and maintaining everyday skills.

The method of psychological influence is selected individually for each patient.

In dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease, psychotherapy plays a leading role, since this type of dementia is almost impossible to treat with medications.

Psychological assistance consists of both individual conversations and collective trainings. The most effective exercises are:

1. Keeping a patient diary . Writing down all the events that happen helps the patient express his experiences on paper and get rid of aggression. It also trains memory and the ability to express one’s thoughts.
2. Biographical Studies . The doctor helps the patient remember past events with the help of old photographs, books, films.
3. Cognitive training . People in groups memorize poems, read, and discuss what they read.
4. Physical activity. Exercise is very beneficial for patients. They are performed in groups or individually. If the patient’s health does not allow him to exercise, then long walks are recommended.
5. Psychotraining increases the level of social adaptation, but is unable to slow down or reverse the course of the disease.

Useful exercises

In the treatment of dementia, it is important to train the brain to prevent the rapid death of neurons.
Without intellectual activity, brain cells atrophy much faster. There are special exercises:

1. Draw a clock . First, the patient is given a simple task, for example, to draw a simple dial, then arrows are added.
2. Say tongue twisters . At first they are spoken slowly, then the pace is accelerated.
3. Studying famous proverbs helps train thinking and memory.
4. Choose the extra word . This is how associative thinking and logic are trained.
5. Changelings . This is spelling words in reverse order.
6. Mirror . You need to draw objects in a mirror image.

These simple exercises help fight senile dementia.

Signs of dementia

There are ten typical signs of dementia.

The first and earliest sign of the development of dementia is considered to be changes in memory, and above all, short-term memory. The initial transformations are almost invisible. For example, a patient may remember events from his past youth, but not remember the foods he ate for breakfast.

The next early sign of developing dementia is speech disorders. It is difficult for patients to find the right words; it is difficult for them to explain basic things. They may try in vain to find the right words. A conversation with a sick person suffering from the early stages of dementia becomes difficult and takes more time than it previously did.

The third sign can be considered changes in mood. For example, depressive moods are constant companions of early dementia.

Apathy and lethargy can be considered the fourth sign of the pathology in question. A person suffering from dementia loses interest in previously enjoyed activities or their own hobbies.

The fifth sign is the appearance of difficulties in performing ordinary tasks. For example, a person is unable to check his credit card balance.

Often in the early stages of dementia, a person feels confused. Due to a decrease in memory function, mental activity and judgment, confusion arises, which is the sixth sign of the described disorder. The patient forgets faces, adequate interaction with society is disrupted.

The seventh sign is difficulty remembering plot lines, difficulty reproducing a television program or conversation.

Spatial disorientation is considered the eighth sign of dementia. Sense of direction and spatial orientation are common mental functions that are among the first to be impaired in dementia. The patient ceases to recognize familiar landmarks or is unable to remember previously constantly used directions. Moreover, it becomes quite difficult for them to follow step-by-step instructions.

Repetition is a common sign of dementia. People with dementia may repeat daily tasks or obsessively collect unwanted items. They often repeat questions that have already been answered before.

The last sign can be considered disadaptation to change. People suffering from the described illness are characterized by a fear of change. Because they forget familiar faces, are unable to follow the speaker’s thoughts, forget why they came to the store, they strive for a routine existence and are afraid to try new things.

Dementia treatment

Senile dementia cannot be cured. Medications can correct the patient’s behavior and temporarily improve his condition. Medicines are prescribed depending on the type of course and severity of the disease. To reduce the manifestation of dementia, the patient is prescribed medications based on galantamine.

This category of medicines:

• has a neuroprotective effect, preventing the destruction of brain cells;
• helps improve nerve impulses;
• restores memory and cognitive abilities.

To correct behavioral disorders, the patient is prescribed to take antipsychotics. Medicines in this category eliminate psychomotor agitation and delirium. Drugs such as Haloperidol have many side effects. To relieve the patient of depression, medications based on fluoxetine are prescribed. To normalize sleep, take sleeping pills.