Dementias

Dementias

Dementia is a condition in which a person loses cognitive functioning like thinking, reasoning, or remembering. And slowly, it hinders a person's routine activities. 

Type of Dementia

Dementia can be categorized into 3 types:

Primary: This is a condition in which dementia is the leading illness. The common type of dementia in this category include:

• Alzheimer disease

• Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

• Lewy Body dementia

• Vascular dementia 

• Mixed dementia

Secondary: In this dementia is caused by other medical conditions or diseases like Parkinson's, Traumatic brain injury, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, etc

Reversible Dementia: This type of dementia can be reversed with treatment. Some of the conditions that can cause dementia are vitamin deficiencies (like B1, B6, and B12), medication side effects, metabolic disorders, etc.

Causes

There are no specific causes for dementia, but some possible reasons are:

• Blocked blood flow to the brain

• Required oxygen and nutrients not provided to the brain

• Genetics 

• Family History

Symptoms

Signs of dementia include:

• Difficulty in speaking and understanding

• Expressing one's thoughts

• Repeating questions

• Taking a longer time to complete daily activities

• Losing interest in routine daily activities

• Impulsive acting

• Losing balance 

• Not caring about others' emotions and feelings

• Using random words for familiar things

• Hallucinating

How to prevent it

There is no specific way to prevent dementia; however, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risks.

• Exercise daily

• Eat fresh and healthy food

• Quit smoking

• Eat more green leafy vegetables and fruits

• Stay socially active