List the four most common causes of dementia. 1. Alzheimer's 2. Vascular 3. Dementia with Lewy bodies 4. Fronto-temporal dementia
Page 4 Q7. 1. Alzheimer's disease begins with lapses of memory, difficulty in finding the right words for everyday objects and mood swings. As Alzheimer's progresses they can routinely forget recent events, names and faces and have difficulty in understanding what is being said, they may also appearing to no longer care about those around them, or even be convinced that someone is trying to harm them.
2. Mental decline is likely to have a clear start date and symptoms will tend to progress in a series of steps following each attack, or small strokes having occurred. Severe depression, mood swings, coordination, speech and visual issues with some areas of the brain may be more affected than others.
3. visual hallucinations (seeing things that are not there), often of people or animals lack of Concentration and attention, memory loss and the ability to judge distances and spatial awareness, and the ability to reason things.
4. The initial stages can see the person's personality and behaviour change. They may lack insight and fail to empathise with others appearing selfish and unfeeling and Develop compulsive rituals. They may behave inappropriately by being rude or making tactless comments and becoming aggressive, they may also lose their inhibitions by exhibiting sexual behaviour in public
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1. Ageing is the most significant known risk factor for dementia with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease doubling approximately every five years.
2. Gender, women are slightly more at risk than men, in developing Alzheimer's disease although it’s not really known why, but there may be a connection with the menopause. Whilst Men have a greater risk of developing vascular dementia.
3. Genetics, can play a role in people with a family history of dementia being at a greater risk, but however it’s not always the case with some people with a family history never developing the symptoms and those with a family history doing so.
4. Medical history and specific conditions can play a part in increasing the chances of developing dementia, multiple sclerosis, downs syndrome and HIV for example. Conditions which affect the heart, arteries or blood circulation can increase the risk vascular dementia; head trauma may form deposits which can cause the onset of dementia also.
5. A Unhealthy high in saturated fat diet can lead to causing obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease, smoking and excessive alcohol and lack of physical activity can also increase the chances of developing the disease.
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Q9
Alzheimer’s disease 62%
Vascular dementia 17%
Dementia with Lewy bodies 4%
Fronto-temperal dementia 2%
Parkinsons