According to the World Health Organisation, dementia is a set of symptoms caused by a brain disease, usually chronic or progressive, clinically characterised by multiple impairments of higher cortical functions such as memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, counting, learning ability, language competence and criticism.
In addition, cognitive impairment is usually accompanied by emotional, behavioural and motivational disturbances. Along with dementia, the patients' quality of daily life deteriorates. Problems initially relate to finances, leisure activities, contact with family and friends, and over time to dressing, personal hygiene or eating.
Epidemiology of dementia
Dementing disorders are age-related and the older the group is assessed, the higher the prevalence. The prevalence rate is around 5% in people over 65 years of age, while it rises to as high as 40% in people over 85 years of age.
Epidemiological studies show some factors that may influence the risk of dementia, these are:
- age
- family history of dementia
- family history of Down's syndrome
- hypertension
- hypercholesterolaemia
- smoking
- head injuries
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Protective factors are considered to be:
- higher levels of education
- maintaining intellectual and physical activity into old age
- well-developed social interaction
Causes of dementia
The possible causes of dementia are many, but many are extremely rare. The most common dementia is associated with Alzheimer's disease, accounting for 35-70% of cases. Other common forms are vascular dementia (7-15%), dementia with Lewy bodies (5-10%), frontotemporal dementia (5-10%), and mixed dementia (5-15%).
