Question

Write a 400 word essay on the:

The Discoveries Of Aged Brain: The Biological Base Of Dementia & Alzheimer’s.

Subject: Gerontology

Answer 1

DEMENTIA

DEMENTIA IS DEFINED AS A CLINICAL SYNDROME CHARACTERISED BY A LOSS OF PREVIOUSLY ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION IN THE ABSCENSE OF IMPAIRMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

LOSS OF GENERAL INTELLIGENCE

THERE IS IMPAIRMENT OF ABSTRACT THINKING ,JUDGEMENT, AND PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY.THINKING IS SLOW AND INFLEXIBLE AND THE ABILITY TO REASON LOGICALLY IS REDUCED.

MEMORY IMPAIRMENT

MINOR DEGREES OF FORGETFULNESS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST SIGNS OF DEMENTIA AND ARE NOTICED INITIALLY BY RELATIVES.EVENTS OF THE RECENT PAST CANNOT BE RECALLED SO PATIENTS FORGET WHERE THEY HAVE LEFT PERSONALPOSSESSIONS AND WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN.

PERSONALITY CHANGE

THERE IS DECLINE IN PERSONAL MANNERS AND SOCIAL AWARENESS. BEHAVIOUR BECOMES RUDE,TACTLESS AND GENERALLY INSENSITIVE TO THE FEELING OF OTHER PEOPLE.DISINHIBITED BEHAVIOUR BEHAVIOUR MAY LEAD TO EPISODES OF AGGRESSION,SEXUAL INDISCRETIONS OR INFRINGEMENTS OF THE LAW SUCH AS THEFT.

EMOTIONAL CHANGES

MOOD CHANGES MAY BE PROMINENT DURING THE EARLY STAGES AND CAUSE SOME DIFFICULTY IN DIFFERENTIATING DEMENTIA FROM AFFECTIVE DISORDERS.DEPRESSION,ANXIETY OR IRRITABILITY MAY DOMINATE THE CLINICAL PICTURE.

AETIOLOGY

CAUSES OF DEMENTIA

1. DEGENERATIVE :

• ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
• PICK'S DISEASE
• HUNTINGTON'S CHOREA
• CREUTZFELDT-JACOB DISEASE
• PARKINSON'S DISEASE

​​​​​​​2. VASCULAR

• CVA
• CEREBBRAL EMBOLI

​​​​​​​3.NORMAL PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS

• PRIMARY
• SECONDARY TO HEAD INJURY

4. ​​​​​​​TRAUMA

• POST TRAUMATIC
• BOXER'S ENCEPHALOPATHY

5.SPACE OCCUPYING LESIONS

• CEREBRAL TUMOUR
• SUBDURAL HEMATOMA

6. INFECTIONS

• AIDS
• CEREBRAL SYPHILIS
• VIRAL ENCEPHALITIS

​​​​​​​TYPES OF EMENTIA

1. ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IS A TYPE OF DEMENTIA IS A PRIMARY DEGENERATIVE CEREBRAL DISORDER WITH A CHARACTERISTIC NEUROPATHOLOGY.ITS ONSET IS INSIDIOUS,OFTEN IN MIDDLE LIFE BUT THE INCIDENCE IS HIGHER IN THE LATER LIFE

2.CEREBROVASCULAR DEMENTIA

THIS IS USUALLY FLLOWS A SERIES OF STROKE OR,LESS COMMONLY ,A SINGLE MAJOR STROKE.

3. TRANSMISSIBLE DEMENTIA

WHICH ARE CAUSED BY A PROEINACEOUS INFECTIOUS AGENT,OR PRION,WHICH CAN BE TRANSMITTED FROM ONE INDIVIDUAL TO ANOTHER.

INVESTIGATIONS OF DEMENTIA

• FULL BLOOD COUNT
• UREA AND ELECTROLYTES
• LFT
• THYROID FUNCTION TEST
• SYPHILITIC SEROLOGY
• HIV ANTIBODIES
• CHEST RADIOGRAPH
• CT BRAIN SCAN

MANAGEMENT

ANY REVERSIBLE CAUSE SHOULD BE TREATED APPROPRIATELY IN WHICH CASE A VARYING DEGREE O RECOVERY CAN BE EXPECTED.DRUGS SHOULD BE AVOIDED UNLESS THERE ARE SPECIFIC INDICATIONS.DEMENTED PATIENTS ARE HIGHLY SENSITIVE TO SEDATIVE DRUGS.