what causes dementia
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7/27/2019 What Causes Dementia
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What Causes Dementia?
By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD
Dementia occurs due to loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It can affect several brain functions
such as memory, thinking, language, planning, behavior and judgement. Dementias are usually progressive and
worsen with time. They usually are degenerative and non reversible.
Types of dementia
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. Lewy body disease is a leading cause of dementia among
the elderly. Dementia also can be due to many episodes of stroke and is called vascular dementia.
Causes of dementia
There are several causes of dementia and dementia like symptoms. These could be due to underlying diseases and
disorders or due to influence of drugs and alcohol.
Medical conditions associated with dementia
Medical conditions associated with irreversible dementia include:
Alzheimers disease seen in 65% cases of dementia. Huntingtons disease or Huntingtons chorea this is a genetic condition and may affect susceptible adults
before 65. This condition is almost always fatal and progressive. Multiple sclerosis this is another degenerative nerve condition. It is associated with dementia. Parkinsons disease this is a nerve degenerative disorder that progressively affects the brain and
movements. Parkinsons disease may also be associated with dementia. Infections certain infections may affect the brain leading to dementia. These include infections like
HIV/AIDS and Lyme disease. Other infections and inflammations that may lead to dementia and dementia-like symptoms include syphilis,
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Behet's disease,Sarcoidosis, Disseminated encephalomyelitis etc.
Picks disease. Progressive supranuclear palsy. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and fatal condition that causes damage to the brain and nervous
system. Spinocerebellar degenerations. Progressive myoclonic epilepsy. Inherited metabolic and storage disorders for example pophyria, Wilsons disease, mitochondrial cytopathies
etc. As part of normal aging process.
Causes of dementia that may be reversible
Some causes of dementia may be stopped or reversed if detected early:
Brain injury repeated head injuries raise the risk of dementia. This is seen in long term boxers and
wrestlers. This is termed dementia pugilistica Brain tumours and cancers including Meningiomas, gliomas, brain metastases and lymphomas. Brain infections such as meningitis and encephalitis. Excessive fluid in the brain (normal pressure hydrocephalus). Long term alcohol abuse. An overactive or underactive thyroid gland. Dehydration. Fluctuations of blood levels ofblood sugar, sodium, and calcium levels. Low levels of Vitamin B12. Poisoning from lead or pesticides etc. Some medications like cimetidine, some of the cholesterol lowering medications. Lung and heart conditions that interrupt the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain. Other causes include hypocalcaemia and hypercalcaemia, uraemia, dialysis related dementia, alcoholic
dementia, pellagra, Malabsorption syndrome, post-irradiation/aquaduct stenosis, Chronic obstructivepulmonary disease and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Risk factors for vascular dementia
Vascular dementia occurs if there is an interruption in the blood supply to the brain. As there is lack of oxygen rich
blood in certain arts of the brain the brain cells be in to die and this results in brain dama e. This interru tion to
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blood supply over a long time can cause vessels inside the brain narrow and harden. This can also result from
atherosclerosis.
Risk factors for vascular dementia include:
Diabetes Obesity heart disease
lack of exercise unhealthy diet with high amounts of saturated fats smoking long term alcohol abuse etc.
Stroke also may raise the risk of dementia. Not everyone who has had a stroke however will go on to have vascular
dementia.
Other causes of vascular dementias include:
multiple cortical infarcts (multi-infarct dementia) cranial arteritis polyarteritis nodosa systemic lupus erythematosus AV malformations and giant aneurysms
hyperviscosity syndromes like polycythemias Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura arteriopathies (Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy
called CADASIL) and angiopathies
Risk factors and causes of dementia with Lewy bodies
Lewy bodies are small clumps of protein that develop inside the brain. The exact cause of these is unknown. It is
hypothesized that two neurotransmitters called dopamine and acetylcholine may be involved in causation.
Neurotransmitters are messenger chemicals that carry messages within the nerves and brain. Dopamine and
acetylcholine play an important role in memory, learning, mood and attention and their decline may thus lead to
dementia.
Causes and risk factors for fronto-temporal dementia
Fronto-temporal dementia is caused by two parts of the brain. One is the temporal lobe (located at the side of the
head) and another is the frontal lobe (located in the front of the brain). These lobes become damaged and then
shrink.
In around 40-50% of cases who develop fronto-temporal dementia there is presence of a genetic mutation (an
altered gene) that may be inherited. These genetic mutations are thought to have a negative effect on a protein
called the tau protein. All brain cells contain tau proteins that help to keep them stable but abnormal tau proteins
may lead to dementia.
Reviewed by April Cashin-Garbutt, BA Hons (Cantab)
Sources1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001748/2. http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG42Dementiafinal.pdf3. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Dementia/Pages/Causes.aspx4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health/disorders_dementia.shtml5. http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/dementia
Further Reading
What is Dementia? Dementia Symptoms Dementia Diagnosis Dementia Prevention Dementia Treatment
What Causes Dementia?
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