dementia
Progressive mental deterioration
Dementia is a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.
Memory loss is the most recognizable symptom, but dementia also affects reasoning, language, and personality.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause.
The condition is progressive and primarily affects older adults: Her grandmother's dementia had advanced to the point where she no longer recognized family members.
Failure to recall
- confusionMental disorientation or bewilderment
- disorientationLoss of spatial awareness
- aphasiaNeurological language impairment
- apraxiaVoluntary movement execution deficit
agnosia · wandering · sundowning · agitation · delusions · hallucinations · personality change · word-finding
Cross-beta protein aggregate
- tauGreek nineteenth letter
- plaquesCommemorative mounted inscriptions
- tanglesKnotted, twisted masses
- acetylcholineNeurotransmitter for muscles and memory
senile · familial · biomarkers · cerebrospinal · hippocampus · sundowning · wandering · agitation
Progressive loss of neurons
- atrophyWasting from disuse
- plaquesCommemorative mounted inscriptions
- tanglesKnotted, twisted masses
- prionSelf-propagating rogue protein
scrapie · kuru · encephalopathy · frontotemporal · vascular · white matter · cortical · subcortical
One providing daily assistance
- respiteShort pause from hardship
- burdenOppressive weight or duty
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- nursing homeLong-term eldercare residence
memory care · assisted living · adult daycare · supervision · safety · bathing · feeding · toileting
Decrease or refuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- worseningBecoming more severe
- stagesDistinct periods or platforms
early-stage · late-stage · terminal · palliative · hospice · prognosis · trajectory · dependency
Magnetic body imaging
- PETNuclear medicine imaging
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
cognitive testing · neuropsychological · biomarkers · lumbar puncture · brain scan · early detection · mild cognitive impairment · staging
Elements increasing adverse outcomes
- lifestylePersonal living pattern
- exerciseActivity for fitness
- nutritionBodily use of food
- cognitive reserveMental buffer against decline
social engagement · sleep · cardiovascular · diabetes · hypertension · smoking · alcohol · education
memory loss
Failure to recall
- confusionMental disorientation or bewilderment
- disorientationLoss of spatial awareness
- aphasiaNeurological language impairment
apraxia · agnosia · wandering · sundowning · agitation · delusions · hallucinations · personality change · word-finding · repetition
amyloid
Cross-beta protein aggregate
acetylcholine · senile · familial · biomarkers · cerebrospinal · hippocampus · sundowning · wandering · agitation
neurodegeneration
Progressive loss of neurons
prion · scrapie · kuru · encephalopathy · frontotemporal · vascular · white matter · cortical · subcortical
caregiver
One providing daily assistance
- respiteShort pause from hardship
- burdenOppressive weight or duty
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
nursing home · memory care · assisted living · adult daycare · supervision · safety · bathing · feeding · toileting · communication
decline
Decrease or refuse
- deteriorationProcess of declining quality
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- worseningBecoming more severe
stages · early-stage · late-stage · terminal · palliative · hospice · prognosis · trajectory · dependency · bedridden
MRI
Magnetic body imaging
- PETNuclear medicine imaging
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- screeningEvaluative selection process
assessment · cognitive testing · neuropsychological · biomarkers · lumbar puncture · brain scan · early detection · mild cognitive impairment · staging · prognosis
risk factors
Elements increasing adverse outcomes
cognitive reserve · social engagement · sleep · cardiovascular · diabetes · hypertension · smoking · alcohol · education · brain health
- health conditionsdiabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma, hypertension
- Health Threatsdisease, epidemic, pandemic, virus, outbreak
- impairmentsimpairment, disability, paralysis, incapacity, blindness
- disabilitydisability rights, disability culture, disability activism, disability services, disability identity
- Neuropsychologycognition, memory test, cognitive test, executive function, working memory
- Aging ProblemsAlzheimer's, osteoporosis, arthritis, falls, hearing loss
dementiacognitive health
Brain function condition
mental acuity · sharp mind · mental clarity · mental sharpness · sound mind
dementiasanity
Mental soundness
rationality · soundness · reasonableness · saneness · rationalness
- 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