Part 2 – Types of Dementia – Guide by Applewood Our House Assisted Living Memory Care

Lewy Body Dementia

The third type of dementia would be Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and this type of dementia is at times referred to as the “Lewy Body Disease”. The abnormal protein deposits that appear in the brain stem are called “Lewy Bodies”. The brain’s normal functioning, cognition, occasional tremors and behavior are all affected due to these deposits. Dementia with Lewy Bodies has no cure and is not reversible.

Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

Parkinson’s Disease Dementia is a progressive, chronic neurological condition that, as it advances, can affect cognition. You should be aware though, people that suffer from Parkinson’s disease will not necessarily develop dementia. Parkinson’s dementia is also classified as a Lewy body dementia. The symptoms and what is affected include: speech problems, reasoning, tremors, memory and judgment, and muscle stiffness.

Frontotemporal Dementia

Frontotemporal Dementia’s common form is Pick’s disease and is a disorder which is rare and damages the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. The person’s personality changes significantly which will result in a lack or decline of social skills and emotional apathy. The strange thing about Pick’s disease is that the behavioral and personality manifestations will occur prior to speech problems and memory loss.

Creutzfeldt-Jacob Dementia (CJD)

The Creutzfeldt-Jacob Dementia, or CJD as we will call it here, is a degenerative neurological disorder that is known as the dreaded “mad cow disease”. The likelihood of being afflicted with this disease is rather rare with the odds being one in a million. CJD is the result of viruses that will interfere with the brain’s normal functions, with dementia progressing rapidly in a span of only several months. The symptoms of this terrible disease include speech problems, confusion, muscle stiffness, memory loss, twitching and a tendency to fall, due to a lack of coordination. Other symptoms include hallucinations and blurred vision.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)

Our seventh form of dementia is Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, NPH. NPH is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cavities of the brain. The improper drainage of this fluid and its resulting build-up and added pressure on the brain will impede the brain from functioning normally, with the resulting dementia causing problems with balance, bladder control and ambulation. Also affected are memory, speech and problem-solving abilities.

Huntington’s Disease

An inherited progressive dementia, Huntington’s disease will affect a person’s behavior, movement and cognition. Memory problems, mood swings, speech problems and impaired judgment are all part of the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of the dementia due to Huntington’s disease. An individual may suffer from hallucinations delusions, may experience jerking movements of the body and face, and have difficulty ambulating.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

The ninth would be the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome which is caused by a deficiency in thiamine and is often the result of alcoholism, malnutrition, cancer, long term dialysis, very high thyroid hormone levels and extended use of diuretic therapy. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome dementia symptoms exhibit themselves as permanent gaps in memory, confusion and a lack of short–term memory.

Mild Cognitive Impairment

The last type of dementia I will discuss is Mild Cognitive Impairment or as I will call it from now on MCI. MCI can be brought on by medications, a list of treatable diseases or even a medical illness. It entails some memory loss and at times there could be impaired speech and judgment. You should be aware though that these problems will usually not impair the persons’ everyday activities. There can be some changes that include anxiety, aggression, depression, and emotional apathy. This is usually due to the fact that the patient is aware of their decline.

The first thing to do is try to get the patient to a doctor as soon as possible in order to properly diagnose the type of dementia the patient might have. Make sure that everything is explained and what the future steps needed. Interview potential caregivers as a team to ensure there is a comfort level between all of those involved. The most important thing is that you and your loved one are comfortable, aware and understand everything that is going on throughout this process. Your loved one is always the most important variable in this situation. The types of dementia must be discussed and a plan must be formulated. There is a way in each dementia to still achieve quality of life during these stages and create memories with your loved ones. We need to ensure that we learn and educate ourselves to help our loved ones and create new memories from here to enjoy.

Next week in part three we will be looking at Alzheimer’s disease.