Dead Space 2 Dementia Debut Trailer [HD] Developer: EA Redwood Shores Release: 3/31/2011 Genre: Action/Shooter/Horror Platform: PS3/X360/PC Publisher: EA Website: www.deadspace.com Follow Machinima on Twitter! Machinima twitter.com Inside Gaming twitter.com Machinima Respawn twitter.com Machinima Entertainment, Technology, Culture twitter.com FOR MORE MACHINIMA, GO TO: www.youtube.com FOR MORE GAMEPLAY, GO TO: www.youtube.com TAGS: Dead Space 2 Debut Trailer [HD] machinima video game videogame xbox360 xbox 360 microsoft playstation3 ps3 playstation 3 sony computer entertainment scea soe pc steam windows live ea redwood studios new fps first person shooter exclusive 2010 2011 announcement teaser yt:quality=high
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Research Report on Chinese Anti Senile Dementia Drug Market, 2010-2011
www.shcri.com — According to statistics, the population aged 60 and above in China reached 167.14 million in 2009, accounting for 12.5% of the total population. It rose by 7.25 million (0.5%) compared with that in 2008. In 2009, the population aged above 80 in China reached 18.99 million. The GDP per capita of developed countries with a large aging population is usually USD 5,000-10,000. Among over 70 countries with large aging populations, 36% have the GDP per capita of over USD 10,000. By contrast, the GDP per capita of China was less than USD 4,000 in 2009, which indicates that China has entered the aging society ahead of time.
Senile dementia is a common disease among the elderly. Its incidence rate rises continuously in China in recent years. The major symptoms of senile dementia are the drop of ADL (activities of daily living) ability (e.g. unable to dress oneself and pass urine or stools by oneself), special strange behaviors (e.g. auditory hallucination), cognitive disorder (e.g. unable to retain the memory of major events in one’s life and cannot recognize one’s spouse, children and even oneself).
In China, senile dementia is much common in the elderly aged over 65. Senile dementia patients account for 4%-5% in this group of people, 10% in the group aged above 75, and 20% in the group aged above 85. It suggests that the incidence rate of senile dementia will increase by one-fold if the age of the elderly rises by 10 years.
According to conservative estimation, the number of senile dementia patients (including Alzheimer’s disease as well as vascular dementia, mixed dementia and the senile dementia caused by systemic diseases) totaled 6-8 million, of which less than a half can receive effective treatment.
Cognitive process involves activities like being aware, learning and thinking. The cognitive decline occurs in patients with senile dementia and memory damage. The most common ones are patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD). Accordingly, drugs that can improve the cognitive power are generally called nootropics.
There are still many controversies in the nosogenesis and treating method of senile dementia especially AD in the medical circle. Nevertheless, with the advance of the research on the nosogenesis, some progress has been made in the development of drugs. Presently, over ten nootropics developed for the treatment of AD and VD, etc are in the later period of R&D (clinical phase III and the period after that). Five of them are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors under mature research. Other drugs under research have different mechanisms of action. This to some extent reflects that the drug development in this sector is directed towards multi-aspect research aiming at nosogenesis of senile dementia, providing a broader space for the later development of drugs.
In China, misunderstandings over AD exist for a long period. People regard the cognitive decline and memory decrease as normal phenomena of aging. Therefore, for a long period, only brain stimulators (e.g. oxiracetam and piracetam) or antioxidants (e.g. extract of Ginkgo biloba) are adopted for the treatment of AD in China. However, these drugs can only slightly alleviate patient’s conditions, displaying extremely limited curative effect. In recent years, with the entry of hot-selling anti-AD drugs from Europe and North America into China, the curative effect of AD is improved considerably. Accordingly, the AD drug market acquires high growth rate. However, the treatment with these drugs demands high expense and the drugs can only control instead of reverse patient’s conditions. Hence, the application of these drugs is influenced. Existing AD drugs in domestic hospitals have not been widely accepted by patients. Though the market scale of drugs for senile diseases is large in China, the market scale of therapeutic AD drugs is relatively small.
With the improvement of Chinese people’s living standard, common diseases in the elderly gradually catch the close attention of the whole society and accelerate the research and market progress of anti senile dementia drugs. Though Chinese anti senile dementia drug market is in the initial stage, it acquires high growth rate in recent years. In 2009, the scale of Chinese anti senile dementia drug market rose by about 30% YOY to reach CNY 10.40 billion (USD 1.53 billion). It is forecast that this number will maintain the annual growth rate of 20%-30% in recent years.
Through this report, readers can acquire more information:
-Status quo of R&D of anti senile dementia drugs in China
-Competition in Chinese anti senile dementia drug market
-Scale of Chinese anti senile dementia drug market
-Major varieties of anti senile dementia drugs in China and processing of the drugs
-Operation of major producers of anti senile dementia drugs in China
-Prediction on the development of anti senile dementia drugs in China
Following persons are recommended to buy this report:
-Producers of anti senile dementia drugs
-Medicine agents
-Hospitals
-Research institutes concerning Chinese anti senile dementia drugs
-Others concerning Chinese anti senile dementia drugs
Source: http://www.shcri.com/reportdetail.asp?id=470
Based on the database, Interviews and research methods from China Research and Intelligence, CRI analyzes the development and opportunities in this industry clearly. Contacts: Eileen Gu China Research and Intelligence www.shcri.com Email: eileen@shcri.com TEL: 86-21-6852-1029 86-21-5842-6733
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Joan Van Gelden lost her husband to senile dementia. She talks about his decline, from initally losing his way home to being unable to communicate at all and eventually having to put him in a home. The video was made by her granddaughter Jess Chandler. She sent it to Five News for our Your News part of the programme.
Dementia care becomes indispensable part of live-in carers’ training
Dementia care becomes indispensable part of live-in carers’ training
LIVE-IN care agency Corinium Care has trained more than 200 people in dementia care in the last year in response to increasing demand.
The company, based in Gloucestershire, provides free training in a raft of subjects for new carers.
Earlier this year it started to offer special one-day refresher training in dementia care to all their existing carers.
It then launched a one-day seminar in dementia care for relatives of elderly clients.
Managing Director of Corinium Care, Camilla Miles, said that helping carers to communicate with their clients is vital for the wellbeing of both parties.
“People with dementia can often feel frightened, confused, threatened and incapable,” she said.
“If carers haven’t come across that before, they need help to deal with it. There isn’t enough training out there for dementia care – not even for doctors and nurses – so we decided to provide it ourselves. We feel passionately about it”
Carers undergoing dementia care training appreciated the opportunity to widen their knowledge.
Beverley Phillips, whose client has dementia, said: “Dementia is a can of worms yet to be unleashed in the UK and people are only just waking up to the seriousness of the situation.”
Read more articles
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Alzheimer Care – How Wander Alarms and Bed/Chair Leaving Alarms Can Help
Benefits to the Medical Profession of Home Care
How an early diagnosis of dementia can improve quality of life in later years
“In my small way I’d like to help spread the word that dementia is not a stigma, and not something to be swept under the carpet.
“Everyone should get a better understanding and do what they can to help those with dementia retain as much dignity and quality of life as possible.”
Training sessions in dementia care take place at Corinium Care’s offices in Nailsworth. Carers are given examples of what to expect from someone with dementia and offered solutions as to how to manage it.
“We can’t expect a client with dementia to adapt to us- we have to adapt to them and communicate in a way which puts them at ease,” said Mrs Miles.
“There are many ways of doing that – building up the client’ s self-esteem, expressing ideas in a positive way, avoiding the word “don’t”, not asking questions they can’t answer.”
She added that one of the most difficult aspects of dementia to grasp is the loss of logic and reason. “What should a carer do if the client puts toothpaste on her toothbrush, then brushes her hair with it?” she asked.
“Everything takes time too. But it’s important that our clients are allowed to do things for themselves and feel at the end of it that they’ve achieved something.”
She pointed out that a lot of the unusual habits which people with dementia adopt, like wearing odd clothes, or drinking their tea out of a saucer, are a reflection of our own perception of received behaviour.
“If we try to teach them to act differently, we are expecting them to adapt, which is unlikely to happen. What we have to ask ourselves is: does it matter? Is the client putting herself at risk?”
Mrs Miles, who set up Corinium Care in 1995, said: “We have the opportunity to provide one-to-one dementia care in a dignified and safe environment and to allay fears in what can be a very uncertain future for the client and their families.”
The award-winning agency, based in George Street, has 800 registered carers on its books. It has 15 staff at its head office in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, as well as recruitment offices in New Zealand, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Dementia facts
Dementia is the term used to describe symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
There are more than 100 different types of dementia.
Symptoms include loss of memory, mood changes, anxiety, and communication problems. It is a terminal condition.
There are about 680,000 people with dementia in the UK. According to government statistics, the number is forecast to increase by 38 per cent in the next 15 years.
One in five people over 80 has a form of dementia, and one in 20 people over 65 has a form of dementia. Two thirds of care home residents have dementia.
The number of older people in Gloucestershire is above the national average: in 2006 there were an estimated 8,000 people in the county, aged 65 and over, living with dementia. This is projected to rise by 50 per cent to nearly 12,000 in 2025.
Each year, £32m in government funding goes towards finding new treatments and ways of preventing or curing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society, whose patron is author Sir Terry Pratchett, says it’s not enough.
asa – About the Author:
For more info please visit www.coriniumcare.com
Article Tags:
dementia care, dementia carers, live in carers, dementia live in carers, full time care, dementia care uk, dementia carers uk
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girl goes crazy
Question by Ionrayvapor: Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion? The Ritual of Dementia “Shivering Isles” quest???!!!?
Okay… See I’ve gotten to the part where after you get out of all the hunger statues and kill the dark seducers… O the part I’m in is like a circle… And when I entered that area two Dark Seducers attacked me after I killed them I noticed a whole bunch of furniture blocked the doorway for me to kill Syl… And Now I’m stuck and I don’t know how to get out of there… Can someone please help!!!???
PS: I already checked http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Shivering:Ritual_of_Dementia and that didn’t tell me so don’t tell me about the Oblivion Wiki thing!
Best answer:
Answer by Bri
There may be another route, so check the map of Xirethard on that website.
If that doesn’t help, this walkthrough will show you what to do:
Give your answer to this question below!
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Question by Laid-Back Lindsay:(: What is “Dementia Anime”?????????
i was looking through anime genres and i saw the word “Dementia”, what is that??? is that even a genre?!?
Best answer:
Answer by Ayamari
Dementia is the slow deterioration of the mind, a gradual decline towards insanity. Based from that definition, one could probably say that anime falling under the ‘dementia’ tag are those anime that discuss themes or feature characters who are afflicted or seemingly afflicted with the disease. If you’re referring to the genres such as Shounen, Shoujo, Seinen, Josei and so forth, I don’t think it’s one of them. I think giving anime with dementia tags are just a way to make searching for specific animes easier.
What do you think? Answer below!
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from Hullabaloo
Question by Don Barry Coll: Are there any similarities between “mistake” and early signs of “dementia” ?
when is telling lies boldly considered as mistake, when you rob people of the their political powers?
Best answer:
Answer by Panzercommando
What we don’t need is some old cold war vet that craps himself in charge of this country at the moment. The time for men like him has passed.
Sean G – Yeah, as a liberal I am a closet fan of the Third Reich. Nice Avatar.
What do you think? Answer below!
Understanding Dementia
Dementia is a loss of brain function that can occur with certain diseases. Although dementia is not a disease but rather a reaction of but not limited to; Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and or multi-infarct’s. Symptoms of dementia may include memory loss, impaired language and speech, the declining ability to perform daily tasks, mood disturbances, behavioral and temperament disturbances, hallucinations, and delusions. While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, it does not constitute a person having dementia. Doctors usually diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions such as memory, language skills, perception, or cognitive skills including reasoning and judgment are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness.
Dementia disorders can be derived by many different ways. Disorders that have particular factors in common such as whether they are progressive and what parts of the brain are affected can be categorized by some of the following.
Progressive Dementia: Dementia that worsens over time, gradually hindering with more and more cognitive capabilities.
Cortical Dementia: The brain damage that primarily affects thecortex of the brain, or outer layer. Cortical dementia may cause problems with loss of mental functions such as thinking, reasoning, social abilities, memory, and ability to recall words or understand languages.
Subcortical Dementia: This alters parts of the brain below the cortex. Subcortical dementia brings about changes in emotions and movement as well as problems with memory.
Primary Dementia: In no relation to other diseases, primary dementia derived from Alzheimer’s disease.
Secondary dementia: Are results of a physical disease or injury, such as brain tumors or multiple head injuries.
Dementia is not always limited to one category; it can be associated with more than one category such as Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is often difficult to detect in the early stages.Symptoms of dementia may vary from person to person. Many of those with dementia commonly report short-term memory loss as one of the first noticeable signs. In addition common early signs and symptoms of dementia include confusion and disorientation; changes in mood, personality, and behaviors. Difficulty performing common tasks such as cooking, getting dressed, paying bills, and driving can also be associated with earlier signs.
There are many ways to develop dementia, and some causes of them are still unknown, thus making it difficult to understand who is at risk. Some risk factors for irreversible dementia include:
older age
female sex
family history of dementia
head injury
lack of mental engagement
low education
genetics (APOE-e4 increases the risk of Alzheimer’s / gene APOE-e2, reduces risk)
poor heart health
Finding ways to prevent dementia have researchers looking for correlations in genetics, diet and environment. As of today simple ways of preventing risk of dementia can be done by doing the following:
Stimulating yourself by keeping Mentally Active, puzzles and games help with stimulation..
Exercise Regularly
Eat Right
Reduce Stress and thinking more positive can help with depression and its way of the brains aging process.
Monty Miani, DCS
Article from articlesbase.com
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Living With Dementia 750000 people in the UK are living with dementia, but what is it actually like to live with the condition? Here three people with dementia tell their stories. The video features Tricia Davis from Gwent, Heather Roberts from Derby and Ken Clasper from County Durham and accompanies the Alzheimer’s Society report, Dementia: Out of the Shadows. For more information please visit www.alzheimers.org.ukThere are more than 750000 people in the UK affected by dementia with numbers set to rise to 1 million by 2025. More than half of these have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading care and research charity for people with dementia and those who care for them. Support the fight against dementia www.alzheimers.org.uk
Question by SUB-ZERO: FLAWLESS VICTORY: Why does everyone respond by saying “I AGREE WITH MISS DEMENTIA”?
Nothing against the user. But, whenever I see this user answer a question, most of the rest of the answers are “I AGREE WITH MISS DEMENTIA”.
??????
Am I missing something here???
Is Miss Dementia the answer to everything???
If so, shed the light on me.
—————–
@ ~Elena.–> The user uses a picture of a red hair gaisha looking person as the avatar.
Best answer:
Answer by ~Elena.
Who’s miss Dementia?
Give your answer to this question below!
Dementia Signage, helpful advice for people who care for people living with Dementia
Dementia is a syndrome that effects the ability of the brain to process memories, thoughts, language, understanding and also judgement. Many people of the 570,000 who develop dementia within England have problems with controlling their behaviour and emotions as the structure within the brain starts to decline. Dementia is usually developed by people over the age of 65 and the older you get the more likely you are to develop some of the symptoms.
Types of Dementia:
Alzheimer’s disease, this is one of the most common types of dementia where small clumps of protein develop around the dementia sufferers brain cells reducing the brains ability to work normally.
Vascular Dementia, as the name suggests the dementia sufferer will experience problems with oxygen within the blood circulating and providing a limited supply of both blood and oxygen to the brain.
Dementia with Lewy bodies, this is where abnormal structures develop within the brain known as Lewy bodies.
Frontotemporal Dementia, this is a rare form of dementia which develops in younger people, this develops when the frontal temproral lobes in the brain begin to shrink and again disrupt the structure of the brain.
In most cases there is no cure for dementia and over a period of time the symptoms will get worse and the dementia sufferer quality of life will decrease. Although there is no cure there are a number of treatments and techniques that can help improve the quality of life allowing them to cope with their conditions much better. Visual Communication Aids specialise in providing advice and also equipment to help support dementia sufferers and also people who care for people with dementia.
Dementia Signage
The following section explains the importance of dementia signage this is especially important for people living with dementia within a care home environment. We have already mentioned about dementia sufferers problems with memory, thought processes and understanding so when they are moved to live within a care home environment the surroundings are very different and difficult for them to adjust to.
Clear and easy to read signage is a must for dementia sufferers when they are introduced within the environment and pictures and normally easier to remember and understand than complicated letters that make up the wording. This is a low cost and easy to install solution that makes a huge difference to a sufferers quality of life. The Visual Communication Aid range of Dementia signage is all designed around a similar theme making it easy for a sufferer to see that the sign is for information and also a clear picture allows them to understand what it is telling them. You can see our full range on the Visual Communication Aids website (link below this article)
If you would like to know more about our dementia signage and other dementia products provided by Visual Communication Aids we would strongly recommend looking at our website, www.visualcommunicationaid.com and any specific enquiries or questions you may have please email us on enquiries@visualcommunicationaid.com good luck in finding the right dementia signage for you.
Dementia Signage – VCA range of Dementia Signage
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Dementia Signage, Advice for Dementia – Help for people who live with Dementia
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Daughter of dementia patient believes Canadians need more education on Alzheimer’s disease. Atlantic provinces must act to close gap in care for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia patients.
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The Signs of Dementia
We all forget where we’ve placed the car keys, have come home from the grocery store with everything but the items we went to purchase or have mixed up appointment dates. You may laughingly shrug it off as a “senior moment,” but you also may worry in the back of your mind that these oversights may mean something more – dementia.
So how do you know when simply being busy and distracted turns from simple forgetfulness into the possibility of dementia and needing dementia care?
Medical researchers and doctors agree that there are marked differences between being a bit absentminded and having full-blown dementia. Normal forgetfulness is generally the byproduct of stress, being overly tired, illness or just trying to remember too many details at once.
In contrast to not recalling a phone number or the steps to a recipe, dementia is characterized by having memory loss that interferes with your ability to function – whether it’s socially or at work. A person with dementia will also exhibit personality changes, as well as recognizable changes in abstract thinking, judgment, language, performance of complex physical tasks, or recognition of objects or people.
Understanding Vascular Dementia
Next to Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia is one of the most common forms of dementia. Those with vascular dementia usually have had a stroke or series of strokes that create a chronic, reduced blood flow to the brain. Often, the strokes are so small that the symptoms go unnoticed. However, the damage builds over time, which leads to memory loss, confusion and other signs of dementia.
The most common type of vascular dementia is called multi-infarct dementia (MID). This is where you have a series of the previously mentioned unnoticed small strokes or “mini-strokes.” These are also called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), and temporarily block blood supply to the brain, as well as can temporarily affect consciousness or sight. As more areas of the brain become damaged by TIAs over time, the person may experience symptoms of vascular dementia.
Interpreting the Signs of Vascular Dementia
Of course, each person is different and will exhibit a range of dementia symptoms. Generally, a person who has prolonged episodes of mini-strokes will gradually lose their memory.
Causes of Vascular Dementia
So what causes vascular dementia and how can you avoid it? A stroke, small vessel disease, or a combination can cause vascular dementia. One of the most common causes of a stroke is arterial blockage leading to the brain. Like heart disease and the associated heart attacks, arterial blockages to the brain can be caused by plaque build up on in the arteries, or by loose blood clots that may clog a main artery. One of the best ways to avoid strokes and the possibility of vascular dementia is to control high blood pressure and diabetes, monitor cholesterol levels and avoid cigarettes.
What You Can Do to Improve Your Memory
If you or a loved one has already been diagnosed with vascular dementia, it’s not too late to take action. Treating the risk factors that led to vascular dementia can slow the progression of the disease. Additionally, there are other things you can do to strengthen your memory, including reading, solving crossword puzzles, playing chess or taking classes in a subject you love.
Researching Dementia Care Options
There are a number of options for dementia care – including senior housing and assisted living communities, an Alzheimer’s care or memory care facility or senior in home care. For help researching your choice for dementia care, contact SeniorLiving.Net | at 866-342-4297 today.
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Dementia & Delirium
Introduction:
The term ‘organic mental disorder/syndrome’ in psychiatry is used when there is a ‘disease of the body’ which present with psychiatric symptoms. In contrast, ‘functional mental disorders’ are considered to be ‘disease of the mind’. Classifying psychiatric disorders in this way is becoming outdated now that more is known about the ‘organic’ basis of functional illnesses, such as abnormal brain structure in schizophrenia. However, the term organic is still commonly used in clinical practice and communication and is included in the ICD 10.
In the next section we will focus on two ‘organic disorders’ which effect cognitive function. Other organic disorders for example:
Organic hallucinosis Organic delusional disorders Organic mood disorders Organic anxiety disorders
Will not be mentioned here, as they present almost similar to their ‘functional’ counterpart
Delirium and Dementia:
In both delirium and dementia, there is a generalized impairment of brain function which causes global impairment in cognitive function and altered mood and behaviour. The difference between the two is that delirium is an acute syndrome characterized by fluctuating levels of consciousness and attention whereas dementia is a chronic syndrome which occurs in clear consciousness without rapid fluctuations. Both conditions are more common in older people, but the diagnoses need to be considered in any patient who presents with a generalized impairment of brain function.
1. Delirium:
Delirium is more likely to occur in children, the elderly and individuals with brain insult when the brain ‘vulnerable’. People with dementia are particularly at risk and so it is always important to rule out superimposed delirium if the cognitive function of people with dementia deteriorates acutely. Another high risk group are people admitted to medical ward- studies have found 15-50% evidence of delirium.
The features of delirium will be summarized and contrasted with typical symptoms of dementia in a table below.
Management of delirium:
The primary goal is to investigate and treat the underlying cause. Some causes of delirium are:
Medications and drugs: Anticholinergic, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, digoxin, corticosteroids, Alcohol , solvents, illicit drugs Infection Endocrine: hypoglycemia, hyperparathyroidism, Addison’s disease, thyroid disease. Metabolic: electrolyte imbalance, hypoxia, organ failure, vitamins deficiency (esp. thiamine), prophyria. Neurological: infection such as encephalitis or meningitis, raised intracranial pressure, space occupying lesions, head injury, epilepsy.
While trying to find the primary underlying cause, it will be necessary to manage the patient symptomatically.
Ø The patient should be nursed in a well lit room by as few people as possible, in order to reduce confusion. Ø Sedation with low doses of antipsychotic drugs may be required (prescriber should have knowledge about the prescribed medication( its side effect, its metabolism, half-life, dosage etc) Ø Orient the patient by gently calming them down and use cues to indicate time of day (window, clock). Avoid excessive ‘reminders’ if this cause patient’s distress.
2. Dementia:
Dementia is a chronic usually progressive generalized impairment of the brain function. The risk increase with age: 5% >65 and 20% >80
Typical symptoms of dementia include:
Memory (amnesia): is virtually always affected, with short term-memory and memory for recent events being lost first. Memory of events from the distant past is usually preserved until the very late stages of the illness. Orientation in time and place: are lost relatively early in the illness which may result in the person becoming lost and wandering aimlessly. In the later stages of the illness, orientation in person may be lost with the person not recognizing familiar people or themselves. Praxis: the ability to coordinate complex motor function is affected. The person may not be able to perform acts on command but still perform spontaneously., or may be unable to carry out a sequence of tasks despite being able to perform each task individually. Language function (Dysphasia): is impaired, initially with finding words(nominal dysphasia or anomia), progressing to difficulties generating speech (expressive dysphasia), comprehending speech (receptive dysphasia) or combination of the two (mixed dysphasia). Abstract thinking and judgment: are impaired, leaving the person unable to deal with problems or unfamiliar situations. Personality changes: are common, often involving a coarsening of pre-existing personality traits. Social behaviour: deteriorates, often becoming shallow or inappropriate. Mood changes: are common with depression irritability and anxiety all occurring in some cases
The above are just some of the symptoms and the presentation will depend largely on the cause and type of dementia. It is important to attempt to establish the type of dementia as this will influence treatment and prognosis. The four commonest causes are:
Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Mixed dementia (usually vascular & Alzheimer’s) and Lewy body dementia
Other causes and types:
Degenerative: Parkinson’s dementia, Huntington’s dementia, Pick’s disease, Normal pressure hydrocephalus Infections: Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (CJD), HIV, Neurosyphilis, cerebral abscess, UTI Space-occupying lesions: tumors, subdural hematoma Traumatic: severe head injury, boxing Endocrine: hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease, hypopituitarism Metabolic: anemia, hypoxia, organ failure Toxic: heavy metals (lead, mercury, iron), chronic alcohol abuse (alcohol dementia), medication with anticholinergic propensity. Autoimmune: SLE, sarcoidosis.
The above list (like in delirium) is short and by no means extensive as the causes are many and the above are only a short examples ( think common sense: any insult to the brain can cause you to have any number of psychiatric symptoms be it dementia, psychosis, depression or any other)
Management of dementia:
Ø History & mental state examination: as the patient with dementia is often unable to give a full account of their problems, an informant presence is important. Scales such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) are useful screening tests and quick to administer. Much detailed scales and psychological testing may be needed to confirm or establish the diagnosis. Ø Physical examination & investigations: are important to establish cause and therefore treatment (reversible or irreversible). Ø Medications: the current drugs can be divided into two groups. First the drugs which increase acetylcholine (Aricept, Galantamine). The second group is the works through receptors affecting GABA (Memantine). Both groups are licensed for Alzheimer’s, but in practice are worth trying in the most of the dementias. The clinical effect appears after months and monitoring done by history taking and MMSE score. Antidepressants may be useful, as well as antipsychotic (but due to anticholinergic side effect, they showed be used by a person aware of their advantages and disadvantages). Ø Psychological & social treatment: simple behavioural techniques such as prompts can be useful for mild memory impairments. Revalidation and reminiscent therapy also could be tried. Social support especially for carer is extremely important and is one of the major management targets
Features of delirium and dementia (comparison):
In the next table a simplified approach comparing delirium vs. dementia (remember that the two can co-exist esp. in the elderly)
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Filed under Dementia by
Drexel Hill Time
AES Seniors
