Unit 365 - Understand the Process and Experience of Dementia
Unit 365
1.1)
There are many different types of dementia and causes of dementia. The first cause is Alzheimer’s disease, which is caused by nerve cells dying in certain areas of the brain. This therefore also affects the connection between the affected nerve cell causing them to deteriorate. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Vascular dementia is the first form of dementia, which is caused by damage to the brain through deprivation of oxygenated blood. If areas of the brain are not getting oxygen then part of it will die causing the vascular dementia.
Biswanger’s disease is another form of vascular dementia, in which the damage occurs to the blood vessels in the deep white matter of the brain. Often it is a result of long-term hypertension or high blood pressure and it affects people over the ago of 60.
Another form of dementia, which is a rarer form, is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This is caused by prion disease. Prions are proteins, which are found in mammals, and when these cluster together in the brain it causes the brain cells to die. Furthermore, when these cells die they leave holes in the brain called spongiosis.
1.2)
The most common memory impairment experienced by individuals with dementia is short-term memory loss. However, the individuals may be able to remember things that happened many years ago. Other memory impairments could include:
• Repeating conversations they have already had
• Asking the same question in a short space of time
• A difficulty in recognising people or remembering their names
• Forgetting to take medication, possibly thinking they have already taken it
• The inability to recall what they have had to eat or even forgotten they had eaten
1.3)
There are many identified chemicals that are involved in the brain’s activity, however the following four are some of the most important relating to the process of memory and associated functions.
The first is dopamine, which is the
1.1)
There are many different types of dementia and causes of dementia. The first cause is Alzheimer’s disease, which is caused by nerve cells dying in certain areas of the brain. This therefore also affects the connection between the affected nerve cell causing them to deteriorate. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Vascular dementia is the first form of dementia, which is caused by damage to the brain through deprivation of oxygenated blood. If areas of the brain are not getting oxygen then part of it will die causing the vascular dementia.
Biswanger’s disease is another form of vascular dementia, in which the damage occurs to the blood vessels in the deep white matter of the brain. Often it is a result of long-term hypertension or high blood pressure and it affects people over the ago of 60.
Another form of dementia, which is a rarer form, is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). This is caused by prion disease. Prions are proteins, which are found in mammals, and when these cluster together in the brain it causes the brain cells to die. Furthermore, when these cells die they leave holes in the brain called spongiosis.
1.2)
The most common memory impairment experienced by individuals with dementia is short-term memory loss. However, the individuals may be able to remember things that happened many years ago. Other memory impairments could include:
• Repeating conversations they have already had
• Asking the same question in a short space of time
• A difficulty in recognising people or remembering their names
• Forgetting to take medication, possibly thinking they have already taken it
• The inability to recall what they have had to eat or even forgotten they had eaten
1.3)
There are many identified chemicals that are involved in the brain’s activity, however the following four are some of the most important relating to the process of memory and associated functions.
The first is dopamine, which is the