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Common types of dementia and their causes

Dementia is a progressive disorder where the person looses his/her memory due to the degeneration of the brain. Dementia can be caused due to a number of reasons. Early detection of the disease is important as it can make a whole lot of difference to the patient by offering the right medical intervention which can reverse and in some cases lead to a complete recovery from the disease. However, dementia caused due to Alzheimer’s disease cannot be reversed. Most cases of dementia are caused due to Alzheimer’s disease. But there are other reasons as well which are discussed in detail below.

1. Vascular dementia

When the blood flow to the brain is reduced, the brain’s capacity to function normally too is decreased due to the deficiency of vital nutrients and oxygen necessary for the brain cells. Vascular dementia can be caused due to a stroke, high blood pressure and also due to conditions like diabetes which are all diseases that block or reduce the flow of blood to the brain due to nerve constriction.

2. Mixed dementia

Mixed dementia may be a difficult condition and can be more serious than the other forms as it is caused due to a variety of diseases which can be vascular and a combination of vascular diseases and Alzheimer’s disease.

3. DLB or Dementia with lewy bodies

Also known as Lewy Body Disease, DLB cannot be cured once it sets in. It is caused when there is an abnormal amount of protein deposit in the brain cells. These deposits block proper nerve communication between the brain and leads to dementia, impaired brain function, behavioral and cognitive problems and at times tremors as well.

4. Parkinson’s disease dementia

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disease which might cause dementia due to lewy body disease that develops when you have Parkinson’s disease. Patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease will have difficulty in talking, tremors, stiffness of the muscles etc. They also develop memory problems, problems with reasoning and judgement etc. due to nerve degeneration.

5. Frontotemporal dementia

Damage that is caused in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain due to Picks disease can cause this type of dementia. Picks’ disease is associated with personality and behavioral problems with decreased social skills, emotional apathy etc. before the actual dementia sets in.

6. Creutzfeldt-Jacob dementia

Commonly known as mad cow disease, this is a degenerative condition of the nerves which has no cure. Caused due to viral action that block the normal function of the brain, it is a disease that progresses very rapidly and presents itself with symptoms like twitching and stiffness of muscles, speech difficulty, loss of memory, confusion, loss of coordination and at times blurriness of vision and hallucinations.

7. Normal pressure hydrocephalus

This condition occurs when the cerebrospinal fluid leaks into the cavities of the brain. The pressure on the brain due to the impaired draining of the cerebrospinal fluid will interfere with the ability of the brain to function adequately. People with this condition lose bladder control and balance, speech and problem solving impairment, cognitive and memory loss etc.

8. Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s Disease is an inherited disorder that can affect the memory, judgement, speech etc. The person is susceptible to mood swings, depression, hallucinations etc. and can face involuntary jerking movements of the body and the face. This too is a progressive condition and hence cannot be cured and leads to dementia.

9. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

A condition that is very common in alcoholics, Wernicke- Korsakoff Syndrome is caused due to the deficiency of vitamin B1. This disease can be caused due to malnutrition, cancerous tumors that have metastasised in the body, high thyroid hormone levels in the body, treatments like diuretic therapy done for congestive heart failure, dialysis administered for a long time etc. The disease causes confusion, permanent memory loss, short term memory problems and also hallucinations in some cases.

10. Mild cognitive impairment

Dementia can set in due to other reasons as well. Intake of certain medications and medical illness too can trigger the condition. In MCI or Mild Cognitive Impairment, there will be loss of memory, speech and impaired judgement which keeps declining and the person is well aware of the condition. MCI does not in any way interfere with the daily life. However, the person might feel depressed, will be susceptible to anxiety, will be aggressive and exhibit emotional apathy. This is most often caused as a result of the awareness that stems from the condition and his/her fear associated with the declining memory.

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