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Dementia
(Maria Fernando)
What is Dementia?
Dementia is defined as “a loss of mental function that affects
daily activities caused by a loss of cells in the brain and the
breakdown of important nerve Connections” (Government of Canada, 2018).
What causes Dementia?
The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease and accounts for 50%-70% of
dementia in the elderly population (Pinel, 2017, p. 254; Janssen, 2013). With a high genetic
contributor, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases with age (Pinel, 2017,
p. 256; Janssen, 2013).
The second most common cause for dementia is Vascular dementia which accounts for 20%
of cases and is “often related to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes,
etc” (Janssen, 2013).
Additional irreversible causes include Huntington’s disease which is always associated with
dementia and Parkinson’s disease which may be associated with dementia (Pinel, 2017,
pp.252-253). Here, it is worth noting that there are some causes of dementia which may be
treatable (ie, head injuries, infections, etc.) so it is important to explore what is causing one’s
dementia (Janssen, 2013).
According to Alzheimer Society Canada (2018), the number of individuals living with
dementia, including alzheimer’s is over half a million and is expected to rise to 937,000 by
2031 based on the 25,000 new cases every year.
Do you or somebody you love suffer from Dementia? This book contains a list of resources
that you can contact for information and support regarding dementia.
References:
Alzheimer Society Canada. (2018). Latest information and statistics. Canada’s national dementia strategy.
Retrieved from http://alzheimer.ca/en/Home/Get-involved/Advocacy/Latest-info-stats
Government of Canada. (2018) Dementia. Government of Canada. Retrieved from
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/dementia.html
Janssen. (2013). Causes of Dementia. Dementia. Retrieved from http://www.dementia.com/causes.html
Pinel, J. P., & Barnes, S. J. (2017). Biopsychology (10th ed., pp. 252-257). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson Higher Education.