One of the most prevalent neurological affections. We know its characteristics.
In this article we are going to talk about the most common dementias , which do appear in older people.
Getting old is not having a disease
We must be aware of the great differences between a normative aging process and a disease such as dementia. Many do not recognize its appearance and attribute changes in the person to aging, when in fact a disease is being expressed.
Therefore, the normal weakening of some mental functions is something that should not set off alarms. Fear of dementia is growing among the elderly population. The truth is that the problem should not be overestimated in any case, because the well-being of the person is much more than that.
The main types of dementia
As there is great confusion about what health problems there are of this nature, which include intellectual and behavioral disorders.
Below we will present the main dementias that can develop in older people.
1. Alzheimer
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia in the world, accounting for about 60% of cases . It is a progressive degenerative brain disease, so density is lost in some areas of the brain. In this way there comes a point where difficulties appear in the normal functioning of the person.
The exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease are still unknown. What is well known is that problems develop in proteins called beta-amyloid and tau, which accumulate in tangles. These proteins are the product of defective metabolic processes and end up causing the death of brain cells. The disease manifests itself differently from person to person. Initial symptoms may include difficulty learning, communicating, thinking, identifying objects, remembering words or concepts, finding everyday objects, or completing common tasks.
The person suffering from Alzheimer’s may also seem confused and have strange or unusual behavior, even presenting notable mood swings. You may have difficulty coping with everyday situations, such as those related to hygiene or relationships with close people.
2. Vascular dementia
Vascular dementia, also called multi-infarct dementia, is caused by serious problems in the cerebrovascular system . It can be due to a single accident or different episodes, but what happens for vascular dementia to occur is that the blood circulation affects the brain supply.
The term “vascular dementia” represents a varied group of conditions that damage blood vessels and that cannot supply certain neurons, which die in very short periods without blood.
It is the second most prevalent dementia in the population, and its appearance produces different cognitive deficits. These include memory impairment and the ability to learn, language impairment (aphasia), recognition of things (agnosia), motor impairment (apraxia) and the ability to plan, organize and abstract.
3. Lewy bodies
After Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, Lewy bodies are the third leading cause of dementia in the elderly population . The so-called Lewy bodies are abnormal accumulations of a protein that are distributed throughout the brain.
This creates problems for the normal activity of some neurotransmitters, so some brain functions are altered. The thinking, perception and behavior of affected people is altered by this condition.
The state of attention and alertness suffers from cognitive alterations that manifest themselves in a more or less fluctuating way, with cognitive deterioration being slow but progressive.
4. Frontotemporal dementia
Frontotemporal dementia is the fourth most common form of dementia, after the well-known Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia.
This disease arises due to the progressive deterioration of neurons located in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain . These areas of the brain control language, behavior, some movement, and the ability to think, so these abilities are affected.
The mechanism that induces the onset of frontotemporal dementia has only been partially elucidated. As in other dementias, research shows that there is an accumulation of proteins in the brain. Even so, the progressive deterioration of the neurons of the frontal and temporal lobes is subsequent to the formation of these aggregates.
Among the proteins that make up the aggregates, the most representative and famous is the one called tau. This appears in other diseases such as Alzheimer’s. When the tau proteins form the aggregates, some neuronal microtubules stop working properly and the affected cell ends up dying.
5. Parkinson
Parkinson’s is also a very common neurological disease in the elderly . Although there are some cases in which the disease begins young, the average age of onset is about 57 years.
In this dementia there is a degeneration of neurons that are located in the subcortical structures of the brainstem. These neurons produce a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which the nervous system uses to send messages to the muscles. Without the neurons that generate dopamine, our brain has a deficit of this neurotransmitter and the control of muscle activity is impaired.
Normally the expression of the disease consists of tremors in the hands, arms and legs, which become more affected over time.
On the other hand, there are patients who rather show muscle stiffness. In these patients the movements slow down, diminish, or are difficult to initiate.
These phenomena can cause muscle pain and a feeling of fatigue, also affecting facial expression.
6. Huntington
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited disease, but symptoms usually don’t appear until middle age . It is characterized by intellectual decline and irregular, involuntary movements.
The first symptoms start with uncontrollable movements, clumsiness and balance problems. Later it can affect the ability to walk, talk and swallow.
Some people stop recognizing family members. Others are aware of their surroundings and may express emotions.
Whoever has a father or mother with this disease will contract it in a 50% chance. A blood test can tell if you have the HD gene and therefore will develop the disease. Genetic counseling can help you weigh the risks and benefits of taking the test.
Unfortunately there is no cure, but medications can help control some of the symptoms, slowing down or even stopping the progression of the disease.
7. Pick’s disease
In Pick’s disease or fronto-temporal dementia there are abnormal substances that appear in the body of some brain cells . In a disease similar to Alzheimer’s, although the affected area of the brain is more specific.
In general, we are talking about a very progressive disease of the neurons of the brain, especially those located in the frontal and temporal areas. In addition, the ventricles are dilated and the cerebral cortex is also very affected. This pathology does not affect the state of consciousness of the people who suffer from it, but it does affect the cognitive and social skills of the patients.
It is common for affectations to occur in the speech area, as well as emotional and behavioral alterations,
Bibliographic references
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- Trivedi, D. (2017). Cochrane Review Summary: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for the detection of dementia in clinically unevaluated people aged 65 and over in community and primary care populations. Prim Health Care Res Dev, 18 (6), 527-528.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
