Diagnosing Vascular Dementia

Diagnosing Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia is typically diagnosed with the use of an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) exam. The MRI can look for abnormalities of the brain that are characteristic of vascular dementia. Those with vascular dementia may also have physical symptoms that are related to stroke, such as difficulty with speech and sudden weakness in a particular side of the body, or part of the body. Only a qualified medical professional can accurately confirm that a person is suffering from vascular dementia.

Vascular Dementia Symptoms

Symptoms of Vascular Dementia

The symptoms of vascular dementia are those that are typically seen with regular dementia such as confusion (which seems to be more profound at night), memory problems (may not be a significant symptom in all cases of vascular dementia, dependent upon which region of the brain is affected), misplacing items, depression, difficulty communicating, and even agitation. There are also symptoms such as lack of coordination, difficult walking, a decrease in organizational abilities, and problems with speech. Sometimes it is possible for Alzheimer’s disease (another common type of disease that is prevalent in the elderly population) and vascular dementia to occur at the same time.

Vascular Dementia

Dementia is a disease that is characterized by memory loss, inability concentrate, forgetfulness and slower thinking.

Vascular dementia (also known as multi-infarct dementia) is a disease that is associated with memory loss and cognitive dysfunction as it is related to the blocking of blood vessels that are located in or near the brain.

The blood vessels may be partially blocked or fully blocked, and in some cases a stroke may occur. It is important to note that not all strokes are related to vascular dementia. Typically, vascular dementia occurs when the blood vessels are narrowed, and there is less blood flowing to certain parts of the brain. When these parts of the brain do not receive the proper amount of blood flow, then they begin to suffer. Typically, vascular dementia is a common form of dementia that occurs in one to four percent of people aged 65 or older.

-alt& � o m Ȁ X� -bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in'>occasionally forget name of spouse or primary care giver but can tell familiar from unfamiliar faces

needs help getting dressed – making errors such as putting pajamas over clothing or shoes on wrong feet

disruption of normal sleep/wake cycle

needs help with toilet use

increasing episodes of incontinence

significant personality changes including suspiciousness, delusions, hallucinations or compulsive behaviors

tendency to wander and become lost

Stage 7

Stage 7 indicates an extreme decline and is considered to be the last stage of dementia as patients lose the ability to respond to environment, speak and move. Most patients who die with dementia will have contracted a condition such as pneumonia because of the inability to move allowing infection to set in. This stage of dementia includes mostly physical decline such as:

• lost capacity for recognizable speech
• assistance required with eating and toiletry – constant incontinence
• lost ability to walk, sit, smile, hold head up
• reflexes return to infancy such as the plantar reflex
• swallowing is impaired

Though Alzheimer’s disease and other progressive dementia disorders are considered to be fatal, with appropriate intervention during the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other dementia, the life and function may be extended through recent medical advances including a number of new prescription medications. For this reason it is important for people in the early stages of dementia to seek medical help as function can be protected and retained but it generally cannot be restored once it is lost.

Understanding Dementia

Below is a good video about understanding dementia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkCsETnB5OA&feature=related

Late Dementia Stages

Late Stages of Dementia

Stage 6

During stage 6, the patient will have undergone a severe decline including worsened memory loss, personality changes and will need extensive help with daily activities including 24 hour supervision. Hallmarks of this stage include:

• lost awareness of most recent experiences and events
• unawareness of surroundings
• remembers personal history imperfectly or not at all but can usually remember own name
• occasionally forget name of spouse or primary care giver but can tell familiar from unfamiliar faces
• needs help getting dressed – making errors such as putting pajamas over clothing or shoes on wrong feet
• disruption of normal sleep/wake cycle
• needs help with toilet use
• increasing episodes of incontinence
• significant personality changes including suspiciousness, delusions, hallucinations or compulsive behaviors
• tendency to wander and become lost

Stage 7

Stage 7 indicates an extreme decline and is considered to be the last stage of dementia as patients lose the ability to respond to environment, speak and move. Most patients who die with dementia will have contracted a condition such as pneumonia because of the inability to move allowing infection to set in. This stage of dementia includes mostly physical decline such as:

• lost capacity for recognizable speech
• assistance required with eating and toiletry – constant incontinence
• lost ability to walk, sit, smile, hold head up
• reflexes return to infancy such as the plantar reflex
• swallowing is impaired

Though Alzheimer’s disease and other progressive dementia disorders are considered to be fatal, with appropriate intervention during the early stages of Alzheimer’s or other dementia, the life and function may be extended through recent medical advances including a number of new prescription medications. For this reason it is important for people in the early stages of dementia to seek medical help as function can be protected and retained but it generally cannot be restored once it is lost.

Mid Dementia Stages

Mid Dementia stages

Last time we talked about the early stages of dementia, and today I will continue writing about the Mid Dementia stages.

Stage 4

Stage 4 indicates a moderate decline in functionality including cognition and social changes. A medical interview will detect clear deficits and family members will have become concerned. Symptoms of stage 4 dementia include:

• decreased knowledge of recent events
• impaired ability to perform challenging math problems needing concentration such as counting backward by 7s
• decreased capacity to perform complex tasks such as bill paying, planning dinner for multiple people
• reduced memory of personal history
• may begin to withdraw socially especially in challenging situations

Stage 5-

A moderately severe decline will be seen in Stage 5. The patient will need close supervision for day to day activities as there are now major gaps in memory and cognitive function including symptoms such as:

• inability to recall personal details such as address, telephone number or the name of high school attended
• becomes confused about location date, season, day of week
• trouble with performing less challenging mental arithmetic such as counting backwards by 2s
• needs assistance choosing seasonal or occasion related clothing
• retains the ability to remember spouse and close family names
• retains the ability to perform basic functions such as eating or toilet use

Early Stages of Dementia

Stages of Dementia: Stage I – VII

Over 350 thousand Americans now have dementia.

strong>Dementia is a deterioration of mental processes including loss of cognitive functioning, memory loss and eventual loss of physical functioning. The Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) is a method of identifying and categorizing the stages of dementia.

Early Stages of Dementia

Stage 1
This is the stage of normal functioning where there is no evident impairment in memory, cognition or function.
Stage 2
Symptoms of stage 2 dementia indicate a very mild decline, mostly with cognitive impairment and will not likely be evident to others.  The symptoms may indicate normal aging process or earliest signs of dementia.  Common symptoms include:

• memory lapses
• forgetting names or words
• misplacing everyday objects such as keys or eyeglasses

Stage 3
Dementia stage 3 shows a mild decline also primarily with cognitive impairment.  At this point persons close to the patient may begin to notice signs and dementia may be diagnosed in some individuals at this time as memory and concentration loss is measurable during detailed medical interview.  Symptoms of this stage of dementia include:

• word and name finding problems
• decreased short term memory such as when meeting new people or reading
• performance issues in work or social setting
• losing valuable or important objects
• decreased ability to plan and organize

Signs of Dementia in People

Dementia is defined as a loss of brain function causing cognitive and functional disability. Unless caused by trauma such as a blow to the head, it is usually a progressive disorder that can be recognized by increasingly prevalent signs of dementia.

Early dementia may not be easy to recognize. Initial signs of dementia are often subtle and easily disregarded as being normal symptoms of aging.

Early stage dementia signs are general only recognized by the patient experiencing them and include trouble remembering things and misplacing items such as keys.

Even family members and close friends are likely to dismiss these small events as having an “off” day or simple disorganization. The patient will be good at covering gaps in function and lapses in memory at this point. Employing organizational skills such as notes, calendars and lists can help the person avoid drawing attention to themselves.

As the disease progresses to mid stage dementia, others may begin to notice more significant memory loss. Some significant signs of dementia that develop at this point may include short term memory impairment causing the person to ask repetitive questions and become anxious about upcoming events for fear that they will be forgotten. Organizational skills may also deteriorate during this period. This may result in an inability to keep a neat house or plan for events such as family dinners. If the person with thedementia symptoms is still employed, coworkers may begin to notice decline in job performance. As the disease progresses, the person may begin to experience mentalsigns of dementia such as personality changes and social withdrawal as he or she becomes uncomfortable in group setting or unfamiliar environments. Friends may begin to drift away as the person can no longer respond in the same manner.

Family members will need to intervene before the symptoms of dementia reach later, more severe stages. It will be important to ensure that dementia symptoms such as inappropriate behaviors do not put the person in danger. Many people begin forgetting things such as turning the oven on or locking the door. They also may lose the ability to dress themselves appropriately and may begin to wander out of the house, forgetting where they are. At this point constant supervision may be required. Many people choose to place the person in direct care so that they will be supervised and not allowed to harm themselves or others.

Another of the late stage symptoms of dementia includes personality changes. The patient may become suspicious, develop delusions or become combative. This is another reason for the need for continuous supervision. Unfortunately as the disease progresses to the end stage, the person with dementia may lose the ability to speak, control the bladder and eventually will not be able to walk or sit. Essentially, end stage dementia symptoms are identical to those of infancy and the person must be completely taken care of.

While signs of dementia often indicate an irreversible condition, recognizing dementia symptoms early will allow for possible medical treatment with one of the new drugs that are being developed for the treatment of dementia and the signs of Alzheimer’s. Some patients may be able to extend their cognitive functioning for longer than the average lifespan of 8 years and have continued functionality for up to 15 or so years. If you notice signs of dementia in yourself or a loved one, seek medical advice as soon as possible to take advantage of recent developments.