Let’s take a look at the causes of dementia, initial symptoms and prevention. Dementia is a syndrome that causes the brain function to damage the cognitive function continuously and overall. The number of dementia patients is increasing worldwide, and in Korea, one in 10 elderly people aged 65 and over is suffering from dementia. Dementia is not a single disease, but a collection of symptoms that can be caused by more than 70 different causes.
Dementia
Dementia (痴呆) is a syndrome with the brain function damage and the cognitive function is continuous and overall. Dementia is not a single disease, but a collection of symptoms that can be caused by more than 70 different causes. The number of dementia patients is increasing worldwide, and in Korea, one out of 10 elderly people aged 65 and over is suffering from dementia and an annual average rate of 16%. Dementia can be classified into non-reversible dementia and reversible dementia depending on the possibility of recovery, and reversible dementia accounts for about 10-15%of the total and can be expected to improve or cure symptoms.
Dementia by degenerative brain disease
Degenerative brain diseases are the most common causes of dementia, with various forms.
- Alzheimer’s diseaseThis is the most common cause of about 60-80%of all dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by abnormal accumulation of two proteins, amyloid and tau. Amyloid forms plaque around the brain cells, and tau form tangles inside the brain cells to destroy neurons. In addition, the reduction of neurotransmitter called acetylcholine is also a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Louis dementia: A protein called alphasyminclin is caused by abnormally accumulated in brain nerve cells. This protein helps the brain activity in healthy brain cells, but when tangled with each other, it turns into deadly toxins and causes dementia. About 30%of all dementia patients are known to be caused by the deterioration of this protein.
Vascular dementia
Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of about 20-30%of all dementia.
- Cerebrovascular disease: Cerebrovascular disease, such as cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage, is caused by damaged brain tissue. Vascular dementia tends to be in stages, and is more common for people with vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Prevention and management of cerebrovascular disease is important for preventing vascular dementia.
Frontal temporal lobe dementia
Frontal temporal lobe dementia is a dementia caused by damaged frontal and temporal lobe of the brain.
- Picker: A typical form of frontal temporal lobe dementia, mainly diagnosed between ages 45-65. This is caused by abnormally aggregated protein in the frontal and temporal lobe, which causes brain cells at the relevant site and shrinking the brain region. Genetic factors tend to work stronger than other types of dementia.
Dementia due to other causes
There are various causes that can cause dementia.
- Metabolic and deficiency disease: Hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiency, diabetes, chronic liver disease and kidney disease can cause dementia. Dementia caused by these causes may be improved through proper treatment. In particular, dementia due to vitamin deficiency can be improved by proper nutrition.
- Infectious diseaseInfectious diseases such as neuropathy, chroitsufeldacops, and acquired immunodeficiency (HIV) can also cause dementia. Dementia caused by these infectious diseases can slow or improve progression with appropriate antibiotics or antiviral drugs.
Dementia can be caused by various causes, and the treatment method and prognosis may vary depending on the cause. Therefore, if the symptoms of dementia appear, accurate cause diagnosis is important. Some dementia can be found early and properly treated, so regular health checkups and early diagnosis are important.
Early symptoms
Dementia is not a single disease, but a collection of symptoms that can be caused by various cause diseases. Initially, memory decreases are mainly indicated and gradually affects other cognitive functions. In Korea, one in 10 elderly people aged 65 and over is dementia, and the number of patients continues to increase as it enters an aging society. Early discovery is important because early symptoms of dementia appears very slowly and can be difficult to distinguish from normal aging.
Memory decrease
The most common early symptom of dementia is memory disorder.
- Recent memory loss: I remember what I experienced a long time ago, but I often forget what I did a while ago. I don’t remember whether I took medicine or not, so I don’t take medicine or eat twice. If you have a lot of drugs left than the next hospital booking date or the medicine falls faster, you may suspect that your memory is deteriorated.
- Repeated questions and conversations: I often ask about what I said or asked a little while ago. The story I met a few days ago I can’t remember the people I met, and even if I give a hint, I will be a long -awaited folk song. These symptoms are characterized by not being remembered over time, unlike simple forgetfulness.
Loss of language skills
In the early stages of dementia, difficulties related to language use may occur.
- Difficult to find words: In general conversations, they do not speak the exact word, but they often express or lingering as ‘it’, ‘that’. We do not have the right words and use a more abstract word or uses a word that is not appropriate. For example, ‘apple’ does not remember ‘fruit’ or ‘eating’, or it is called ‘belly’.
- Difficulty understanding: It is difficult to have an inappropriate response or follow the conversation because it does not understand the other person’s words. It takes a long time to understand complex explanations or instructions, and it’s hard to follow the contents of a TV program or book.
Decrease in daily life performance
In the early stages of dementia, difficulties are also found in familiar daily activities.
- Difficulty handling familiar work: In the past, you could not handle what you did well. For example, you did well, but you can’t make a good food or make a complicated food, and forget how to make simple food. Frequently, you can forget to turn off the fire while cooking food.
- Financial management difficulties: It is difficult to calculate simple money, and forget to pay the bill. It starts by missing the payment date or family member of the public billing, which was well packed every time, and the cognition of the date becomes increasingly blurred.
Nanhang degradation and loss of direction
Symptoms of blurring time and place are blurred.
- Time reduction: You do not confuse the day or date or recognize the season. As it progresses gradually, the day and night are not distinguished, and the rhythm of life may be broken.
- Lowering place: I start wandering the way I went well, and I can’t figure out where I am in a familiar place I usually know. It is frequent to forget the way back home or remember where the car was parked.
Early symptoms of dementia can appear differently for each individual, and not all these symptoms are not dementia. If some of the symptoms mentioned above constantly appear and affect their daily lives, it is important to consult with an expert. Starting proper treatment and management through early diagnosis can slow down symptoms and improve the quality of life.
Dementia
Dementia is not a single disease, but a collection of symptoms that can be caused by more than 70 different causes, and prevention is the most important. The key to preventing dementia is to reduce risk factors and strengthen protection factors, which can reduce the risk of developing dementia even by changing simple lifestyles. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Central Dementia Center encourage ‘3 books (勸, to enjoy), 3 gold (禁, endure), and three rows (, take care) to prevent dementia.’
Regular exercise habits
The most important thing to prevent dementia is regular exercise.
- Aerobic exerciseAerobic exercise such as walking, bicycle riding, swimming, etc. improves cerebral blood flow, promoting the activity of brain cells and preventing brain cells. There are studies showing that adults with 20 minutes of high intensity exercise more than 3 times or 30 minutes of heavy intensity exercise are 1.82 times less than adults who do not. According to a study conducted in Canada, patients with vascular dementia have been walking for three hours a week for six months, and the brain function has been improved.
- Muscle exercise: Strength exercise is also effective in preventing dementia. Strength exercise maintains muscle mass and promotes blood circulation to smooth oxygen and nutrients to the brain. It is a good idea to do strength exercise 2-3 times a week or 20-30 minutes.
Maintain healthy eating habits
Eating habits directly affect brain health.
- Mediterranean diet: Mediterranean diets rich in fish, vegetables, fruits, olive oils, and nuts can help brain health. Those who follow the Mediterranean diet are known to have a low risk of being caught in Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment than those who do not follow these diets. In particular, blue fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids help reduce beta amyloid plaque.
- Antioxidant: Foods rich in antioxidants such as turmeric, spinach, kale, pumpkin, and almond are good for brain health. In particular, curcumin in the turmeric has a strong anti -inflammatory effect, not only helps dementia symptoms, but also can improve cognitive functions of the entire brain.
Active brain activity
Continuous stimulating the brain is effective in preventing dementia.
- Reading and writing: Reading, writing diary, and reading newspapers can help stimulate the brain and maintain cognitive function. Studies have shown that much intellectual activities such as reading, library use, and theater viewing will reduce the risk of the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Acquisition of new technologiesLearning new skills, such as learning computer, learning foreign language, playing musical instruments, and drawing, gives new stimuli to the brain to improve cognitive function. It is important to keep these brain activities more than twice a week.
Healthy lifestyle
Healthy lifestyles are the basis of dementia prevention.
- Week and quitting smokingExcessive drinking is 1.7 times more likely to be cognitive impairment, and the risk of dementia’s development of dementia is 1.59 times higher than non -smokers. However, after more than six years of quitting smoking, there is a study showing that the probability of cognitive impairment decreases by 41%.
- Sufficient sleep: Good quality sleep is essential for the brain to rest and restore. In sleep, the process of removing toxins from the brain occurs, so sufficient sleep is important for preventing dementia.
Dementia is a preventive disease and can significantly reduce the risk of development by improving lifestyle. It is important to maintain regular exercise, healthy eating habits, active brain activities, and healthy lifestyles. In addition, it is also helpful to prevent dementia to find and manage early on dementia at the health center every year.
FAQ
Q: What is the main cause of dementia?
A: The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for about 60-80%of all dementia. Next are vascular dementia (20-30%), Louis dementia, and frontal temporal lobe dementia. There are also reversible dementia due to hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 deficiency, drug side effects, depression, etc., which can be improved during the cause of treatment.
Q: What are the initial symptoms of dementia?
A: In the early stages of dementia, memory loss is the most common. I often forget what I did a while ago or repeat the same questions. In addition, it may include decreased language skills (difficult to find words), decreased daily life performance (cooking, financial management, etc.)
Q: How to prevent dementia?
A: To prevent dementia, regular exercise (aerobic exercise, strength exercise), healthy eating habits (Mediterranean diet, antioxidant food), active brain activity (reading, new technical acquisition), and social exchange are important. In addition, it is helpful to maintain healthy lifestyles such as chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, smoking cessation, proper drinking, and sufficient sleep.
Q: What is the difference between dementia and normal aging?
A: In normal aging, I sometimes forget my name or promise, but I remember it later, while dementia doesn’t remember the recent work and hints. In normal aging, sometimes judgment mistakes, but in dementia, judgment can be greatly reduced and can be exposed to dangerous situations. In addition, in normal aging, daily life ability is maintained, but dementia has difficulty performing everyday life such as cooking, cleaning and money management.
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