In Malta, it is considered that around 4,300 people are victims of dementia. Dementia is a very generalized term that refers to a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. An example of dementia is memory loss. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer. Dementia is not a specific disease, but it describes a wide range of symptoms which are associated with a decline in memory loss and other thinking skills. There are around 60 to 80 percent of the cases that suffer from Alzheimer. After Alzheimer, the Vascular dementia is the second most common. This usually occurs after someone suffers from stroke. There other conditions that can lead to dementia such as thyroid problems and also lack of vitamins.
Even though the symptoms of dementia vary a lot, at least two of the following symptoms must be impaired for dementia to be caused: memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgment and also visual perception.
Usually people who suffer from dementia may encounter problem with short-term memory, keeping track of their possessions, forgetting to do their basic needs, amongst others. Additionally, dementia is a progressive disease, which means that symptoms start slowly and then they get worse over time.
The main cause of dementia is when the brain cells get damaged. This damage leads to an interruption in communication between the brain cells. When this communication is disrupted normally, thinking, behavior and feelings can be affected. Our brain is divided into regions, each region has its own function and these functions are linked to each other. When cells of a particular regions are damaged it cannot carry out if function normally. Moreover, most of the causes that leads to dementia are permanent and also worsen over time.
Unfortunately, since now, there is no test to verify if a person is suffering from dementia or not. Doctors can determine if a person has dementia with a high level of certainty, but it’s almost impossible for doctors to determine the exact type of dementia. Additionally, the treatment of dementia depends on the cause of dementia itself. In progressive dementia, including the Alzheimer’s disease there is no cure for them and no cure exist to stop or slow down its progression. However, a drug treatment exist that may temporarily improve symptoms. Ultimately, the path to effective new treatments for dementia is through increased research funding and increased participation in clinical studies.
The main risks for dementia are age and genetics, two factors that unfortunately cannot be modified. Some of the most active areas of research in risk reduction and prevention include: cardiovascular factors, physical fitness, and diet.