Dementia is a term used to describe a group of disorders or symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social abilities. It is usually chronic and progressive and affects one’s daily life. This impairment in cognitive function is generally preceded or accompanied by changes in mood, emotional control, behavior, or motivation. It is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide that often lead to stigmatization.

What are the signs and symptoms of dementia?
Dementia affects every individual differently, depending on the underlying causes. Its signs and symptoms can be categorized into three stages:

Early stage
The early stage is often overlooked because of its gradual onset. Common symptoms during this time include forgetfulness, getting lost in familiar places, and losing track of time.

Middle stage
The symptoms become more clear in this stage. They commonly include forgetting recent events and names, being confused at home, facing increasing difficulty in communication, needing help with personal care, and behavior changes, including wandering and repeated questioning.

Late stage
The last stage is marked by dependence and inactivity. The signs may include becoming unaware of the time and place, difficulty recognizing relatives and friends, an increasing need for assisted self-care, difficulty walking, and behavior changes like aggression that may escalate.

What are the risk factors associated with dementia?
Several unchangeable factors can increase a person’s risk of the condition. These include:

Age
Although dementia can occur at any age, people over 65 are at a higher risk.

Family history
Those with a family history of dementia have a higher risk of developing it. Genetic testing helps people identify if they have any mutations that may lead to the condition in the future.

Down syndrome
Many individuals with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer’s disease by middle age.

What causes dementia?
Dementia is caused due to damage or loss of nerve cells and their connection to the brain. It can affect people differently depending on the part of the brain that has experienced damage. Some leading causes are:

Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s is among the most common causes of dementia. Experts have found that genetics significantly increase the chances of developing the disease. One gene that increases the risk of Alzheimer’s is apolipoprotein E4 (APOE). People with Alzheimer’s have clumps of beta-amyloid or fibrous tangles of tau protein in their brains, which damage healthy neurons and their connecting fibers.

Vascular dementia
It is caused by damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. Vascular dementia can cause strokes or damage the fiber in the brain. Common symptoms include difficulties in problem-solving, slowed thinking, and lack of focus.

Lewy body dementia
This disorder causes the formation of abnormal balloon-like clumps of protein in the brain, which can lead to visual hallucinations, uncoordinated movements, tremors, and rigidity.

Frontotemporal dementia
The destruction of nerve cells and their connections in the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes can lead to this group of disorders. They can affect behavior, personality, thinking, judgment, language, and movement.

Mixed dementia
A combination of multiple forms of dementia is known as mixed dementia.

Apart from these, several other disorders have been linked to dementia, such as Huntington’s disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and Parkinson’s. While dementia is generally progressive and chronic, people facing dementia-like symptoms can opt for treatment to tackle the cause, which may include infections, immune disorders, nutritional deficiencies, subdural hematomas, brain tumors, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and more.

How can dementia be managed?
While there is no fool-proof method to prevent or manage the condition, some steps can help. These include keeping the mind active with stimulating activities like reading, solving puzzles, playing word games, and memory training. Patients can also be encouraged to indulge in physical and social activity. Further, one must get the proper amounts of vitamins B, C, and D and manage cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

What kind of nutrition plan should patients follow?
Boosting health and immunity is essential for people with this disorder. A balanced meal with foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins can help achieve that. At the same time, foods with high saturated fats, cholesterol, and high sodium must be avoided as they can affect heart health. Although refined sugar should also be limited, it may help boost appetite in the later stages of Alzheimer’s for people dealing with the loss of appetite.

If a loved one experiences the symptoms of dementia, it is essential to take them to a healthcare provider at the earliest for a diagnosis. The doctor may perform brain scans, psychiatric evaluations, and cognitive, neurological, genetic, and blood tests to confirm the disorder.