Dementia

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Dementia

Definition

Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases.

Alternative Names

Chronic brain syndrome; Lewy body dementia; DLB; Vascular dementia

Causes

The two major causes of non-reversible (degenerative) dementia are:

Alzheimer's disease
Loss of brain function due to a series of small strokes (vascular dementia)

The two conditions often occur together.

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a leading cause of dementia in elderly adults. People with this condition have abnormal protein structures in certain areas of the brain.

The structures and symptoms of DLB are similar to those of Alzheimer's disease, but it is not clear whether DLB is a form of Alzheimer's or a separate disease. There is no cure for DLB or Alzheimer's.

Conditions that damage blood vessels or nerve structures of the brain can also lead to dementia.

Treatable causes of dementia include:

Brain tumors
Dementia due to metabolic causes
Infections
Low vitamin B12 levels
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Thyroid conditions

Dementia usually occurs in older age. It is rare in people under age 60. The risk for dementia increases as a person gets older.

References

Alva G. Alzheimer disease and other dementias. Clin Geriatr Med. 2003; 19(4): 763-76.

American Academy of Neurology. About Dementia. Neurology. 2004; 63(10); E20.

Moore DP, Jefferson JW. Handbook of Medical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2004:283-286.

Goetz, CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2007.

Farlow MR, Cummings JL. Effective pharmacologic management of Alzheimer's disease. Am J Med, 2007;120:388-397.


Central nervous system

Review Date: 2/13/2008
Reviewed By: Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Departments of Anatomy & Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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