Dementia

Dementia is the general name for a decline in cognitive abilities that impacts a person's ability to perform everyday activities. This typically involves problems with memory, thinking, and behavior.... Wikipedia

• Specialty:  Neurology, psychiatry
• Symptoms:  Decreased ability to think and remember, emotional problems, problems with language, decreased motivation
• Usual onset:  Gradual
• Duration:  Long term
• Causes:  Alzheimer's disease, vascular disease, Lewy body disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration
• Diagnostic method:  Cognitive testing (mini–mental state examination)
• Differential diagnosis:  Delirium, hypothyroidism
• Prevention:  Early education, prevent high blood pressure, prevent obesity, no smoking, social engagement
• Medication:  Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (small benefit)
• Treatment:  Supportive care
• Frequency:  55 million (2021)
• Deaths:  2.4 million (2016)
• Data source:  DuckDuckGo