Living with Alzheimer’s Disease
Jul 23rd
People with early‑onset Alzheimer’s disease often become depressed after receiving the diagnosis. But it is important to understand that Alzheimer’s is not a death sentence, life isn’t over, and although your life will change as the dementia progresses, you can still have a meaningful, productive life…Read More
Learn More About Alzheimer’s Disease
Jul 23rd
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia which is defined as a “deterioration of intellectual function and other cognitive skills, leading to a decline in the ability to perform activities of daily living” (Merck Manual of Geriatrics). Alzheimer’s dementia is a progressive neurological disorder and usually occurs in old age. A decline in cognitive functions such as remembering, planning and reasoning may be signs of onset Alzheimer’s…Read More
Dementia in Parkinson’s Disease
Oct 13th
Cognitive changes such as dementia are common in Parkinson’s disease. For most of us “dementia” is a very scary word, so I’d like to make clear that although such a cognitive impairment is common, not all those with Parkinson’s necessarily experience dementia. Parkinson’s disease dementia is less likely in early onset disease, tremor onset patients, and where significant depression is absent. However, because patients with Parkinson’s disease are about six times more likely to suffer from dementia than those without Parkinson’s, it is a good idea to pay close attention and watch for signs of dementia, as some medical treatment may be needed. Therefore, a clear understanding of what “dementia” is will follow.
What Dementia Is:
Dementia is a disturbance in intellectual function that interferes greatly with essential aspects of life and progressively worsens over time. The typical profile of Parkinson’s disease dementia consists of:
declining ability to reason,
slowed mental processing,
dramatic lapses in memory,
worsening visual-spatial construction
and trouble maintaining attention.
The various types of dementias that can occur in patients with Parkinson’s may overlap and co-occur, making them hard to distinguish. Neurological exams and neuropsychological assessments may help pinpoint and ascertain the different dementias. Conventional segmentation has divided dementia into two types: cortical and subcortical. Cortical dementia is typically found with Alzheimer’s disease and characterized by profound memory problems early on. Subcortical dementia is a slowing of cognitive processing, forgetfulness, apathy, and retrieval difficulties early on.
When watching for signs of Parkinson’s disease dementia, it is appropriate to worry, but try not to become alarmed. Cognitive changes do not automatically suggest the onset of dementia. If you are suspicious of certain behaviors, consult your neurologist for a neuropsychological consultation. It is painless, detailed, and can uncover factors that may be the cause of cognitive changes.