Dementia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dementia - Research Paper Example Dementia is a condition that affects the nervous system of the individual. It is mainly labeled to be a disease of the old people but it may occur in the younger age groups as well. Dementia mainly presents with loss of memory and the condition deteriorates with time. The functioning of the cerebral hemisphere is affected in this condition and thus the day to day performance of the individual greatly suffers as a result of dementia. Dementia can result owing to many underlying pathologies which include Alzheimer's disease, Huntington’s disease and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. There is no definitive cure for this disease but early diagnosis can make a difference. Dementia Dementia is a degenerative neurological disorder. Previously dementia was considered to be a normal part of aging but researches and studies have proved that it is a pathological condition that results from varying illnesses or disorders present in the body.As a number of disorders or factors can be responsible for causing dementia,it is better known as a syndrome rather than a disease.It can also present as a clinical sign or symptom of an underlying disorder.Dementia is sudden or spontaneous in onset and progresses with time and age.The risk of onset of dementia is most likely at the age of 60 and it is seldom seen before this age.The risk of onset increases with the advancement in age. Dementia seriously affects the emotional behavior and social attitude of the victims of this disorder and sometimes it can also be associated with life threatening consequences. It is a pathological condition of the brain which causes impairment of normal mental activity and deterioration of cerebral functions with difficulties in carrying out the routine chores due to regression of certain areas of brain that maintain and regulate the normal functions of life. The individual suffering from dementia faces memory loss and the magnitude of loss is directly related to the severity of the disease. The disease affects the patient's personality and alters the emotional and social behavior. (Cox, 2007; Jacques & Jackson, 2000) Dementia involves gradual deteriorating changes in the brain of an individual which results in the decline of cerebral functions with time. The patient undergoes these changes for quite a long time before presenting with some solid differences in his or her personality. The patient can present with complaints which include deterioration of memory, decreased rate of performance at any type of work, compromised skills, mismanagement of personal or business affairs, uncertain and unreliable attitude, the decline in social activities, varying moods and delirium. The dementia is divided into two types depending on the time of its onset. These two types are pre-senile and senile dementia. The two groups differ as the pre-senile dementia is seen in mostly young patients while senile is in much older individuals. Both the disease processes however, follow the same course of development with very little differences in the signs and symptoms shown by the patients suffering from pre-senile or senile dementia (Boon & Davidson, 2006; Jacques & Jackson, 2000). The causes of dementia vary according to the type. Dementia may either be resulting from vascular pathologies which include disease of the small blood vessels, numerous emboli in the vessels or inflammation of the vessels in the brain. Degenerative or the inherited type of dementia results due to pathologies which include Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Wilson's disease, cortical Lewy body disease and mitochondrial encephalopathies. Dementia may also be associated with cancerous conditions. The tumors may spread from distant sites and lead to dementia or there may be tumors originating with the brain itself for example the primary cerebral tumor. Sarcoidosis and Multiple Sclerosis lead to inflammation and thus they are classified as inflammatory causes of dementia. Trauma can a lso be an underlying cause of dementia and it may be due to