Also called: Also called: Senility
Dementia is a word for a group of symptoms caused by disorders that affect the brain. It is not a specific disease. People with dementia may not be able to think well enough to do normal activities, such as getting dressed or eating. They may lose their ability to solve problems or control their emotions. Their personalities may change. They may become agitated or see things that are not there.
Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia. However, memory loss by itself does not mean you have dementia. People with dementia have serious problems with two or more brain functions, such as memory and language.
Many different diseases can cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Drugs are available to treat some of these diseases. While these drugs cannot cure dementia or repair brain damage, they may improve symptoms or slow down the disease.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
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Dementia: What Are the Common Signs?(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/seniors/mental-health/662.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/seniors/mental-health/662.printerview.html
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Dementia: Hope through Research(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/detail_dementia.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/las_demencias.htm
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Forgetfulness: It's Not Always What You Think(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/forgetfulness.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/forgetfulness-sp.asp
- Dementia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/dementia.htm
- Dementia: Is This Dementia and What Does it Mean?(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=569
- Dementia: It's Not Always Alzheimer's(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/dementia/AZ00003/METHOD=print
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JAMA Patient Page: Dementia(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/297/21/2436.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/297/21/2436/DC1/1
- Aggression among Nursing Home Patients Widespread(09/19/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69466.html
- Exercise May Help Prevent Age-Related Memory Loss(09/02/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68820.html
- Cognitive Score Changes Over Time May Hint at Dementia(08/19/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68322.html
- More News on Dementia http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_d.html#dementia
- Alzheimer's Caregiving Tips: Working with Your Doctor(Administration on Aging) - http://www.aoa.gov/alz/carefam/caregiving_tips/working_with_your_doctor.aspx
- ApoE (Apolipoprotein E) Genotyping(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/apoe/test.html
- Tau/Amyloid Beta 42 Peptide Test (Alzheimer Biomarkers)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/tau/test.html
- Dementia, Caregiving, and Controlling Frustration(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=891
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Caregiver's Guide to Understanding Dementia Behaviors(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=391
Also available in Spanish http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=533
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Dementia: Info and Advice for Caregivers(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/seniors/mental-health/585.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/seniors/mental-health/585.printerview.html
- Managing Difficult Behaviors(Association for Frontotemporal Dementias) - http://www.ftd-picks.org/?p=caregiver.managing
- Skin Patch Delivers Dementia Drug(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/exelonpatch080307.html
- Binswanger's Disease(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/binswangers/binswangers.htm
- CADASIL(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cadasil/CADASIL.htm
- Challenging Behaviors: Special Issues for Family Care(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/challenging.htm
- Frontotemporal Dementia (Pick's Disease)(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/picks/picks.htm
- Multi-Infarct Dementia(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multi_infarct_dementia/multi_infarct_dementia.htm
- Sundowning: Late-Day Confusion(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/sundowning/HQ01463/METHOD=print
- Vascular Dementia(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vascular-dementia/DS00934/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Adult Day Centers(Alzheimer's Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.alz.org/national/documents/topicsheet_adultday.pdf
- Caring for Someone with Dementia in a Disaster(Federal Emergency Management Agency) - http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/dementia.shtm
- Delirium (Sudden Confusion)(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=57
- Dementia & Driving(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=432
- Dementia at the End of Life(National Institute on Aging) - http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/endoflife/03_dementia.htm.htm
- Legal Plans: Assisting the Person with Dementia in Planning for the Future(Alzheimer's Association) - Large PDF file - http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_legalplans.pdf
- Pain in Dementia: A Family and Caregivers Guide to Assessment and Treatment(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - Links to PDF - http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/pain/pain_dementia.pdf
- Safety Issues(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_safety_issues.asp
- Sexuality and Dementia(Family Caregiver Alliance) - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=677
- Money Matters: Helping the Person with Dementia Settle Financial Issues(Alzheimer's Association) - Large PDF file - http://www.alz.org/national/documents/brochure_moneymatters.pdf
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Dementia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Dementia%22
- Genetics Home Reference: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=cerebralautosomaldominantarteriopathywithsubcorticalinfarctsandleukoencephalopathy
- Alzheimer's Drug Does Not Improve the Cognitive Ability Score in Hereditary Vascular Dementia(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=340
- Antipsychotic Drug Use and Death in Older Adults with Dementia(American College of Physicians) - http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/146/11/I-52
- Cognitive Impairment without Dementia in Older Adults(American College of Physicians) - http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/148/6/I-53
- Low Levels of Good Cholesterol Linked to Memory Loss, Dementia Risk(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=451
- Medical Organizations Issue New Guideline on Drugs to Treat Dementia(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/media/releases/2008/dementia-guidelines.html
- Pilot Study Provides New Insight on Effect of Ginkgo Extract on Dementia in the Elderly(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/022608.htm
- Article: Amyloid beta protein and tau in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18700307&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Staging dementia using Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18695059&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Rapidly progressive dementia. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18668637&tool=MedlinePlus
- Dementia -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(dementia[majr:noexp]+OR+dementia,+vascular[majr])AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- CareFinder: Glossary(Alzheimer's Association) - http://www.alz.org/carefinder/support/glossary.asp
- Find a Neurologist(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.2
- American Geriatrics Society - http://www.americangeriatrics.org/
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
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National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol/
- Know Resident's Rights in a Care Facility and When to Speak Up(Alzheimer's Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.alz.org/carefinder/docs/knowrights.pdf
- Alzheimer's Disease - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html
- Lewy Body Disease - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lewybodydisease.html
- Memory - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/memory.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Mental Health and Behavior - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealthandbehavior.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Dementia is the National Institute on Aging - http://www.nia.nih.gov/
Dementia - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/dementia.html