What most individuals consider once they hear the word “dementia” are memory problems and forgetfulness. But what people often do not know is that dementia may cause many various symptoms – affecting speech, behaviour, sleep, motor function and more.
In fact, dementia is an umbrella term. It is estimated to be greater than 100 Types of Dementia. Alzheimer's disease is probably the most common subtype of dementia, affecting about 60% of all cases. One of probably the most common symptoms of any such dementia is memory loss.
But about 40% Of all cases of dementia, different, rarer types are considered. Unfortunately, having a rare subtype of dementia is commonly underdiagnosed. More difficult and more complex maintenance is required..
While most individuals could also be accustomed to some varieties of dementia – including Lewy Body, Parkinson's disease dementia and frontotemporal dementia – awareness of other rare types is less.
Knowing find out how to recognize the symptoms of those rare types of dementia early may be necessary to be sure that family members get the assistance they need.
Posterior cortical atrophy
Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) affects mostly visual and spatial functioning. Memory will not be as badly affected early on as in Alzheimer's disease.
People with PCA may struggle with visual hallucinations and spatial navigation. This can appear when reading or checking the depth and space on a ladder – making it difficult to evaluate where the subsequent step is, for instance. Symptoms normally begin to seem between the ages of 55 and 65.
There's still lots we do not find out about PCA due to how rare it's. Researchers are still attempting to determine if PCA is a A distinct subtype of dementia Or it is a rare type of Alzheimer's disease. This is since the brain changes that occur in individuals with PCA are similar to those who occur in individuals with Alzheimer's disease, although the symptoms are different. It can be estimated that between 5% to 15% of people with Alzheimer's PCA is
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease There is a very rare type of dementia, affecting one in 1 million worldwide.
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease is a prion disease. These diseases involve prion proteins that suddenly fold right into a three-dimensional shape for unknown reasons. The function of Healthy prions stays unknown, however it appears to play some role in protecting nerve and brain cells and in regulating the body's circadian rhythm (the natural, 24-hour cycle our bodies follow that controls every thing from sleep, digestion, and immunity).
Misfolding of the prion protein in Creutzfeld-Jakob disease causes a really rapid and severe type of dementia, progressing much faster than, for instance, Alzheimer's disease or Lewy body dementia. In addition to the particularly rapid nature of growth, individuals with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease struggle with memory and movement, including sudden jerky movements.
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Risk factors This subtype of dementia involves aging and genetics (occurs in 10-15% of cases). In rare cases, it might even develop as a A result of contamination – comparable to eating beef from cattle infected with mad cow disease.
FTD-MND
FTD-MND Frontotemporal dementia is a type of dementia that happens with motor neuron disease.
Frontotemporal dementia refers to subtypes of the disease that cause progressive lack of brain tissue within the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.
Motor neuron diseaseOn the opposite hand, there's a rapidly developing neurological condition that may result in respiratory, movement and paralysis. Although it affects the brain and nerves, it will not be itself a type of dementia.
About 10-15% People with frontotemporal dementia also develop motor neuron disease. This appears to be linked to a change in symmetry. C9orf72 gene. Because of this genetic link, FTD-MND can. Run in families.
People with FTD-MND experience many muscle problems, including muscle wasting, stiffness and swallowing problems. These are stuff you would not normally associate with dementia and memory problems.
It is currently unclear whether frontotemporal dementia develops first after which motor neuron disease, or whether it is the opposite way around.
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare neurological condition that causes each dementia and problems with movement.
It is estimated to affect approx. 4,000 people in the UK. PSP is difficult to diagnose since it coexists with many other conditions, including Parkinson's disease.
PSP primarily affects the subregions of the brain, particularly the brainstem and basal ganglia. These areas are related to vision and movement.
As such, individuals with PSP struggle to make use of their eyes and thus may experience frequent falls and falls. Difficulty moving around. People with PSP can also struggle with focusing. Problem Solving.
Dementia support
As with all dementia subtypes, there's There is no cure yet. Although there are medications that may delay symptoms, they only work in these cases. Alzheimer's disease.
Thus, we still need to seek out ways to assist individuals with other subtypes of dementia wherever possible.
One approach to do that is to properly understand their condition and their subtypes. Knowing that somebody has difficulty walking and moving especially versus memory requires proper care beforehand.
It's just as necessary to have the option to identify the symptoms early. Dementia doesn't just affect memory. Changes in behavior, difficulty seeing or falling continuously, walking or moving in a different way or difficulty speaking can all be early signs of dementia.
A greater understanding of the numerous types of dementia will hopefully lead to higher ways of managing and treating this complex disease.