Dementia is a term that describes the loss of cognitive function, usually because of damaged brain cells. It includes memory loss and at least one of the following: difficulty with language, impaired movement, and inability to plan and initiate appropriate behaviors socially or at work. People with dementia may not be able to care for themselves by getting dressed or eating; they may have trouble balancing their checkbook and may get lost in familiar settings.

Signs and Symptoms

Alzheimer’s disease
• Increasing memory loss
• Difficulty with language (not being able to find the right word)
• Not being able to think abstractly
• Disorientation (getting lost in familiar places)
• Not recognizing friends or family
• Inability to do familiar tasks (such as cooking)
• Loss of judgment and decision-making ability
• Personality changes

Vascular Dementia
• Mental confusion
• Having trouble walking; falling frequently
• Memory loss
• Difficulty with language
• Becoming agitated
• Urinary frequency or incontinence

What Causes It

Dementia usually occurs in elderly people, although it is not considered a normal effect of aging. Some kinds of vascular Dementia may be mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease, and the two often occur together.

Other causes of Dementia include

• Vascular disease (blockage of a blood vessel to the brain)
• Traumatic brain injury
• Parkinson's, Huntington's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and other diseases
• Brain tumor
• Vitamin B deficiencies
• Drug or alcohol abuse, medications, or exposure to toxic substances