Senile dementia is characterized by a progressive and irreversible loss of intellectual functions, such as altered memory, reasoning and language, and loss of the ability to perform movements and recognize or identify objects.
Senile dementia occurs most frequently after age 65 and is one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly. Loss of memory means that the person is unable to orient himself in time and space, losing himself easily and having difficulty recognizing the closest people, leaving him less and less able to understand what is going on around him .
What are the symptoms
There are several symptoms of senile dementia, and depend on the cause of the disease and may take years to manifest. The most common symptoms are as follows:
- Loss of memory, confusion and disorientation;
- Difficulty in understanding written or verbal communication;
- Difficulty in making decisions;
- Difficulty in recognizing family and friends;
- Forgetting common facts, such as the day they are;
- Change in personality and judgment;
- Shaking and walking at night;
- Lack of appetite, weight loss, urinary and fecal incontinence;
- Loss of orientation in known environments;
- Movements and repetitive speech;
- Difficulty in driving, shopping alone, cooking and carrying out personal care;
All these symptoms lead the person to a progressive addiction and can cause in some people depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, mistrust, delusions and hallucinations.
Possible causes
The causes that can lead to the development of senile dementia are:
1. Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a disease in which progressive degeneration of brain neurons occurs and impairment of their cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, language, orientation, perception, reasoning, and thinking. Know the warning signs for this disease.
The causes are not yet known, but studies suggest a hereditary factor, especially when it starts in middle age.
2. Dementia with vascular origin
It has a faster onset, occurring after multiple strokes, usually accompanied by high blood pressure and strokes. Learn what causes stroke and how to avoid it.
3. Dementia caused by drugs
There are medicines that, taken regularly, can increase the risk of developing dementia. Some examples of medicines that may increase this risk if taken too often are antihistamines, sleeping pills, antidepressants, medicines used in heart or gastrointestinal problems, and muscle relaxants.
4. Other causes
There are other diseases that can lead to the development of senile dementia, such as dementia with Lewy bodies, Korsakoff's syndrome, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Pick's disease, Parkinson's disease and brain tumors.
What is the diagnosis
The diagnosis of senile disease is usually made with a blood count, renal, hepatic and thyroid function test, serum vitamin B12 and folic acid dosage, serology for syphilis, fasting glycemia, computed tomography of the skull or magnetic resonance imaging.
The physician should also perform a complete medical history, tests to assess memory and mental status, assessment of attention and concentration, problem-solving skills, and level of communication.
The diagnosis of senile dementia is made by excluding other diseases with similar symptoms.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment for senile dementia at an early stage includes medications, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, antidepressants, mood stabilizers or neuroleptics, and physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatments, as well as conducting proper family and caregiver guidance.
Currently, it is best to keep the person with senile dementia in a supportive and familiar environment, keeping him active, participating as much as possible in daily activities and communication, in order to preserve the individual's abilities.
