Dementia

Dementia is a condition characterised by a progressive decline of mental abilities accompanied by changes in personality and behaviour. There is commonly a loss of memory and skills that are needed to carry out everyday activities.

It is a significant cause of illness within the UK population. An estimated 5% of those over the age of 65 have dementia, rising to 20% over the age of 80.

The term dementia includes diagnoses of:

Alzheimer’s disease

The most common type of dementia affecting 50-60% of those diagnosed with a dementia.

 

Vascular dementia

• Multi-infarct dementia
• Subcortical vascular dementia (Binswanger’s disease)
• Acute onset vascular dementia
  
   

Dementia with Lewy bodies

Pick’s disease and frontal lobe dementia

(also known as fronto-temporal dementia)

Dementia relating to other illnesses:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Huntington’s disease (HD)
• Down’s syndrome
• HIV related dementia
  
   

Transmissible Dementias

• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease
• Kuru
  
   

Potentially treatable conditions

• Chronic sub-dural haematoma
• Cerebral tumour
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Vitamin deficiency
• Endocrine disorders
• Infections
• Anoxic disorders
• Polypharmacy
• Depression

Src: www.kingshill-research.org