Unit K6165165 - Understand the process and experience of dementia
Understand the neurology of dementia
1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome
Although, the causes are still not yet entirely understood, the expression: ’dementia
syndrome’ describes a severe deterioration in mental functions that can include difficulties
with communication/language, concentration, memory, thinking, problem-solving, as well as
also change in the person’s mood, emotions and behaviour. These changes can become bad
enough to affect daily life for someone with dementia.
Dementia syndrome is progressive. It means that symptoms gradually get worse over time.
The chance of developing this syndrome undoubtedly increases with age. However, it is not a
natural part of ageing.
There are more than 100 known causes of dementia. It is not a single disease but a set of signs
and symptoms related to more than one diseases or brain injuries. The most common type of it
is Alzheimer’s disease, followed by vascular dementia.
Physical changes in our brain, for example, when the structure and chemistry of the brain
changes, can lead to damage and gradual death of brain cells as dementia syndrome
progresses.
Causes of dementia syndrome are the following diseases:
1. Alzheimer’s disease
2. Vascular dementia
3. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)
4. Fronto-temporal dementia (FD), including Pick’s disease
5. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
6. Huntington’s disease
7. Korsakoff’s syndrome
Approximately 95% of people with a diagnosis have one of the first four (main) types.
A mixture of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia is known as mixed dementia. It is a
condition where these two types of dementia occur together, and the symptoms usually
similar to either Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia or a combination of the two.
1. Alzheimer’s disease
Understand the neurology of dementia
1.1 Describe a range of causes of dementia syndrome
Although, the causes are still not yet entirely understood, the expression: ’dementia
syndrome’ describes a severe deterioration in mental functions that can include difficulties
with communication/language, concentration, memory, thinking, problem-solving, as well as
also change in the person’s mood, emotions and behaviour. These changes can become bad
enough to affect daily life for someone with dementia.
Dementia syndrome is progressive. It means that symptoms gradually get worse over time.
The chance of developing this syndrome undoubtedly increases with age. However, it is not a
natural part of ageing.
There are more than 100 known causes of dementia. It is not a single disease but a set of signs
and symptoms related to more than one diseases or brain injuries. The most common type of it
is Alzheimer’s disease, followed by vascular dementia.
Physical changes in our brain, for example, when the structure and chemistry of the brain
changes, can lead to damage and gradual death of brain cells as dementia syndrome
progresses.
Causes of dementia syndrome are the following diseases:
1. Alzheimer’s disease
2. Vascular dementia
3. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)
4. Fronto-temporal dementia (FD), including Pick’s disease
5. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
6. Huntington’s disease
7. Korsakoff’s syndrome
Approximately 95% of people with a diagnosis have one of the first four (main) types.
A mixture of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia is known as mixed dementia. It is a
condition where these two types of dementia occur together, and the symptoms usually
similar to either Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia or a combination of the two.
1. Alzheimer’s disease
