Dementia

Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) that is associated with a decline of the brain and its abilities which include: memory, thought, speech, understanding and judgement People living with this illness may become apathetic, have problems with their emotions or behaving appropriately in social situations. Their personality may change or they may see or hear things that other people do not, or have false beliefs. Most cases of dementia are caused by damage to the structure of the brain. People with dementia usually need help in making decisions. Dementia is a common condition as there are currently 570,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Usually dementia occurs in people who are 65 or over so the older you get, the more likely you are to develop it and it is found to be slightly more common in women than in men. There are several forms of dementia firstly Alzheimer's disease, where small clumps of protein, known as plaques, begin to develop around brain cells. This disrupts the normal workings of the brain. Then there is vascular dementia, where there are problems with blood circulation resulting in parts of the brain not receiving enough blood and oxygen. There is Dementia with Lewy bodies, where abnormal structures, known as Lewy bodies, develop inside the brain. There’s a much rarer form of dementia Known as Front temporal dementia, where the frontal and temporal lobes (two parts of the brain) begin to shrink. Unlike other types of dementia, front temporal dementia usually develops in people who are under 65. There is no cure for dementia and symptoms will get worse over time. However, there are a number of effective treatments that can help people to cope better with their symptoms and improve their quality of life.