17 DEMENTIA AND MEMORY LOSS General Discussion Dementia is a common syndrome among older persons and is characterized by the gradual onset and continuing decline of higher cognitive functioning. Dementia becomes more prevalent in each decade of life, affecting approximately 1% to 10% of adults 65 years old and 50% of those older than 90 years of age. Dementia should be suspected when there is an impairment in memory and an impairment of at least one other domain of higher cognitive functioning that interferes with normal social and executive functioning in an otherwise alert person. These domains include judgment, abstract thinking, complex task performance, apraxia, agnosia, visuospatial awareness, and personality change. These changes are present without other significant neurologic signs or symptoms (parkinsonism or focal neurologic signs), psychiatric disease, or systemic illnesses (such as thyroid deficiency, vitamin deficiencies, or chronic infections). Early symptoms may be present that can suggest the presence of a dementing illness. These symptoms include difficulty in learning and retaining new information, difficulty performing complex tasks, altered reasoning, problems with spatial awareness (getting lost in familiar places), difficulties with language (difficulty expressing oneself or difficulty following conversations), and behavioral changes (such as becoming more irritable, suspicious, or aggressive than usual). Depression is common in the elderly and should be considered in any patient being evaluated for dementia. Patients with neurologic disorders that cause dementia, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s dementia, may be more prone to associated depression. Common Causes of Dementia Alzheimer’s dementia Vascular dementia Mixed dementia Other • Depression • Frontotemporal dementia • Parkinson’s disease • Alcohol-related dementia Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: GYNECOMASTIA INFERTILITY, MALE SYNCOPE THROMBOCYTOPENIA Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Instant Work-ups A Clinical Guide to Medicine Aug 17, 2016 | Posted by admin in PEDIATRICS | Comments Off on DEMENTIA AND MEMORY LOSS Full access? Get Clinical Tree
17 DEMENTIA AND MEMORY LOSS General Discussion Dementia is a common syndrome among older persons and is characterized by the gradual onset and continuing decline of higher cognitive functioning. Dementia becomes more prevalent in each decade of life, affecting approximately 1% to 10% of adults 65 years old and 50% of those older than 90 years of age. Dementia should be suspected when there is an impairment in memory and an impairment of at least one other domain of higher cognitive functioning that interferes with normal social and executive functioning in an otherwise alert person. These domains include judgment, abstract thinking, complex task performance, apraxia, agnosia, visuospatial awareness, and personality change. These changes are present without other significant neurologic signs or symptoms (parkinsonism or focal neurologic signs), psychiatric disease, or systemic illnesses (such as thyroid deficiency, vitamin deficiencies, or chronic infections). Early symptoms may be present that can suggest the presence of a dementing illness. These symptoms include difficulty in learning and retaining new information, difficulty performing complex tasks, altered reasoning, problems with spatial awareness (getting lost in familiar places), difficulties with language (difficulty expressing oneself or difficulty following conversations), and behavioral changes (such as becoming more irritable, suspicious, or aggressive than usual). Depression is common in the elderly and should be considered in any patient being evaluated for dementia. Patients with neurologic disorders that cause dementia, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s dementia, may be more prone to associated depression. Common Causes of Dementia Alzheimer’s dementia Vascular dementia Mixed dementia Other • Depression • Frontotemporal dementia • Parkinson’s disease • Alcohol-related dementia Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: GYNECOMASTIA INFERTILITY, MALE SYNCOPE THROMBOCYTOPENIA Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Instant Work-ups A Clinical Guide to Medicine Aug 17, 2016 | Posted by admin in PEDIATRICS | Comments Off on DEMENTIA AND MEMORY LOSS Full access? Get Clinical Tree
