dement
Cause to unravel
To dement is to drive mad or deprive of reason.
The word is rare, appearing mostly in its past participle form demented, which describes someone whose mental faculties have deteriorated: a demented old man wandering the streets.
Demented also serves as casual hyperbole for crazy or absurd: What demented person thought this was a good idea?
Severe mental illness
- lunacyExtreme irrational foolishness
- derangementDisturbed mental state
- psychosisSevere reality detachment
- deliriumAcute mental disorientation
crazed · unhinged · raving · disturbed · irrational · unstable · manic · frenzied
Degenerative brain disease
- vascularOf blood vessels
- frontotemporalPertaining to forehead-temple region
- neurodegenerationProgressive loss of neurons
- cognitive declineWorsening of thought abilities
plaques · tangles · diagnosis · caregiver · nursing home
Pathological loss of recall
- forgetfulnessFailure to retain information
- memory lossFailure to recall
- oblivionComplete erasure from memory
- senilityAge-related mental decline
lapse · blankness · fugue · disorientation · confabulation · sundowning · wandering · repetition
Process of declining quality
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- declineDecrease or refuse
- worseningBecoming more severe
- progressionSequential forward movement
regression · fading · waning · erosion · atrophy · impairment · descent · decay
Lacking sense of direction
- confusedUnable to understand
- befuddledMentally confused, disoriented
- muddledIn a confused state
- addledConfused, unable to focus
foggy · incoherent · disorganized · impaired · compromised · diminished · clouded · scattered
insanity
Severe mental illness
- lunacyExtreme irrational foolishness
- derangementDisturbed mental state
- psychosisSevere reality detachment
delirium · crazed · unhinged · raving · disturbed · irrational · unstable · manic · frenzied · agitated
Alzheimer's
Degenerative brain disease
- vascularOf blood vessels
- frontotemporalPertaining to forehead-temple region
- neurodegenerationProgressive loss of neurons
cognitive decline · plaques · tangles · diagnosis · caregiver · nursing home
amnesia
Pathological loss of recall
- forgetfulnessFailure to retain information
- memory lossFailure to recall
- oblivionComplete erasure from memory
senility · lapse · blankness · fugue · disorientation · confabulation · sundowning · wandering · repetition
deterioration
Process of declining quality
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- declineDecrease or refuse
- worseningBecoming more severe
progression · regression · fading · waning · erosion · atrophy · impairment · descent · decay · enfeeblement
disoriented
Lacking sense of direction
addled · foggy · incoherent · disorganized · impaired · compromised · diminished · clouded · scattered · fragmented
- dementia careAssistance for cognitive deterioration
- dementia unitWard for cognitive decline
- dementia patientOne with progressive cognitive impairment
- vascular dementiaCognitive loss from impaired cerebral circulation
- dementia screeningTest for progressive mental decline
- dementia specialistExpert in cognitive deterioration