Is it Forgetfulness or Dementia?

Normal Forgetfulness

• Normal forgetfulness is neither progressive nor disabling.

• Such memory problems are likely to surface when you’re under stress, fatigued, ill or distracted.

• A certain increase in forgetfulness seems to be a normal byproduct of aging and is perhaps a result of changes in the brain that begin around 50. Memory loss isn’t inevitable.

• Over the next two decades, the 75-84 age groups will be the fastest growing of those 65 and older in North Carolina.

• Women outnumbered men in the state in 2011. They represent 58% of the 65 and over and 70% of 85 and over population.

Mild Cognitive Impairment

• Mild cognitive impairment(MCI)is considered a transitional state between normal forgetfulness and dementia. At least one cognitive domain, usually memory, is below normal or in decline.

• A person who has MCI is able to carry on daily activities without difficulty, but some cognitive skills may be diminished and the may show some of the following signs:

• Increasing difficulty with memory or, subtle problems in language, attention, spatial skills, and problem solving. These should be confirmed by neuropsychological tests

Dementia

• With dementia, memory loss is severe enough to interfere with someone’s ability to function socially and at work. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, but there are many other types, including, frontotemporal degeneration, dementia with Lewy bodies, and vascular dementia(which is caused by multiple strokes that interrupt blood flow to the brain).

Some Signs of Dementia

• Intellectual function has declined from a previous level.

• More than one type of thinking is affected. In addition to memory, at least one of the following also is impaired; personality, abstract thinking, judgment, use of language, the ability to recognize objects or people.

Normal Aging vs. DementiaNormal Aging Dementia

Complains of memory loss but can provide considerable detail regarding incidents of forgetfulness

Complains of memory problems only if asked; cannot recall instances where memory loss was noticeable

Recent memory for important events and conversations.

Recent memory for events and ability to converse are noticeably impaired

Occasional word-finding difficulties Frequent word-finding difficulties

Does not get lost in familiar territory, but may have to pause momentarily to remember way.

Gets lost in familiar territory while walking or driving; may take hours to return home

Ability to operate common appliances

Cannot operate simple common appliances

No decline in interpersonal skills Loss of interest in social activities; socially inappropriate behaviors