Dementia is
not a disease, but a collection of symptoms that result from damage to the
brain. These symptoms can be caused by a number of conditions
- Alzheimer’s
- Vascular dementia
- Dementia with Lewy bodies
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Advanced dementia
Symptoms specific to Alzheimer's disease
The most
common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease.
Common
symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia include:
- memory loss – especially problems with memory for recent events, such as forgetting messages, remembering routes or names, and asking questions repetitively
- increasing difficulties with tasks and activities that require organisation and planning
- becoming confused in unfamiliar environments
- difficulty finding the right words
- difficulty with numbers and/or handling money in shops
- changes in personality and mood
- depression
Early
symptoms of dementia (sometimes called cognitive impairment) are often mild and
may get worse only very gradually. This means you might not notice if you have
them, and family and friends may not notice them or take them seriously for
some time.
In dementia,
the brain becomes more damaged and works less well over time. The symptoms
of dementia tend to change and become more severe.
For this
reason, it's important to talk to your GP sooner rather than later if you are
worried about memory problems.
The speed at
which symptoms get worse, and the way that symptoms develop, depends on what's
causing the dementia, as well as overall health. This means that the symptoms
and experience of dementia can vary greatly from person to person.
Some people
may also have more than one condition – for example, they may have Alzheimer's
disease and vascular dementia at the same time.
While
dementia has many symptoms that are similar whatever the cause, the different
forms of dementia do have some particular symptoms.
Symptoms specific to vascular
dementia
The symptoms
of vascular dementia can sometimes develop suddenly and quickly get worse,
although they can also develop gradually over many months or years.
People with
vascular dementia may also experience stroke-like symptoms, including muscle
weakness or paralysis on one side of their body.
Symptoms specific to dementia with
Lewy bodies
Dementia
with Lewy bodies has many of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and people
with the condition typically also experience:
- periods of being alert or drowsy, or fluctuating levels of confusion
- visual hallucinations
- becoming slower in their physical movements
Symptoms specific to frontotemporal
dementia
Early
symptoms of frontotemporal dementia typically include changes in emotion,
personality and behaviour.
For example,
someone with this type of dementia may become less sensitive to other people’s
emotions, perhaps making them seem cold and unfeeling.
They may
also lose some of their inhibitions, leading to behaviour that is out of
character, such as making tactless or inappropriate comments.
Some people
with frontotemporal dementia also have language problems. This may include not
speaking, speaking less than usual or having problems finding the right words.
Symptoms in the later stages of dementia
As dementia
progresses, memory loss and difficulties with communication often become very
severe. In the later stages, the person is likely to neglect their own health
and require constant care and attention.
Memory symptoms in later dementia
People with
advanced dementia may not recognise close family and friends, they may not
remember where they live or know where they are. They may find it impossible to
understand simple pieces of information, carry out basic tasks or follow
instructions.
Communication problems in later dementia
It's common
for people with dementia to have increasing difficulty speaking and they may
eventually lose the ability to speak altogether. It's important to keep trying
to communicate with them and to recognise and use other, non-verbal means of
communication, such as expression, touch and gestures.
Problems with mobility in later dementia
Many people
with dementia gradually become less able to move about unaided and may appear
increasingly clumsy when carrying out everyday tasks. Some people may
eventually be unable to walk and may become bedbound.
Incontinence in later dementia
Bladder
incontinence is common in the later stages of dementia and some people will
also experience bowel incontinence.
Eating, appetite and weight loss in
later dementia
Loss of
appetite and weight loss are common in the later stages of dementia. It's
important that people with dementia get help at mealtimes to ensure they eat
enough.
Many people
have trouble eating or swallowing and this can lead to choking, chest
infections and other problems.
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