What to do about senile dementia?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on October 30, 2024
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For patients with dementia, if the diagnosis is confirmed, the recommended treatment is as follows: First, it is very important to pay attention to nursing care. Patients with dementia often get lost, which can lead to a series of dangers, so it is necessary to take good care of them to prevent getting lost. Secondly, for the improvement of cognitive functions, it is recommended to use some cholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the level of acetylcholine in the brain and improve the patient's cognitive functions to a certain extent. Third, symptomatic treatment should also be provided. Since patients with dementia often exhibit psychiatric symptoms, such as visual and auditory hallucinations, appropriate antipsychotic medications can be used for treatment. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can senile dementia be cured?

Dementia in the elderly is a clinical syndrome caused by the irreversible death of neurons. So far, the mechanism of the disease is not particularly clear, making it very difficult to cure dementia completely. However, there are some corresponding treatment methods that can delay the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients as much as possible. These treatments mainly include exercise therapy, which involves getting patients to participate in appropriate physical activities that can promote cognitive development. In addition, letting patients listen to music more often, interact more with others, and continue learning can also delay the progression of aging. Furthermore, there are some medications that can improve the symptoms of dementia. Currently, the most commonly used worldwide are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the levels of acetylcholine and thereby improve cognitive function to some extent and slow the progression of the disease. Additionally, if elderly individuals exhibit some psychiatric symptoms, they can also be given some atypical antipsychotic medications to alleviate the condition.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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early signs of dementia

Dementia in the elderly, mainly referring to Alzheimer's disease, is primarily characterized by a significant decline in the patient's memory and learning abilities. Of course, there are some prodromal symptoms before the onset of dementia. For example, patients might show no clinical signs of cognitive impairment or only display very slight memory decline. Patients might exhibit mild impairment in memory, a decrease in the ability to learn and retain new information, and mild impairments in other cognitive areas such as attention, executive function, language skills, and visuospatial abilities. However, these impairments are very slight and can go unnoticed by family members. Moreover, these mild impairments do not affect the patient's basic daily life abilities and do not reach the level of dementia. Patients can live independently and manage their routine daily tasks, which are mainly some of the early signs of dementia.

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Written by Tang Li Li
Neurology
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Methods for Examining Dementia in the Elderly

The examination of dementia mainly includes the following aspects. First, it is to determine whether the patient has cognitive impairment, because in the early stages of dementia this impairment is often mild, primarily in recent memory, with other aspects not yet obvious. Early screening can use some cognitive evaluation scales, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, chosen according to the patient's cultural level. Second, imaging examination, commonly using brain MRI, can reveal significant signs of dementia such as deepened brain sulci, narrowed gyri, and widened lateral fissures, indicating brain atrophy. Third, genetic testing for the APOE gene, which may be related to dementia. Possession of this gene may increase the likelihood of developing dementia in the future, serving as an auxiliary diagnostic measure.

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Written by Tang Bo
Neurology
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How long is the lifespan of someone with Alzheimer's?

The causes of dementia in the elderly can be varied, with many diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and vascular dementia, all leading to senile dementia. Therefore, how long one lives may require specific analysis. If the dementia is due to cerebrovascular factors, the lifespan of the individual may be closely related to the primary disease, i.e., cerebrovascular disease. Dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease progresses with the disease and affects the patient's lifespan. In its advanced stages, when the patient can no longer take care of themselves, complications such as lung infections can further impact their lifespan. There are also other factors, which need to be assessed based on the evaluation of the disease.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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incidence of senile dementia

Dementia in the elderly has a very noticeable high incidence trend worldwide and in China, with many people over the age of 65 suffering from this disease. Statistics show that in Western countries, the incidence of dementia in the elderly might be around 3%-8%. In China, the incidence among the elderly over 65 may also be around 5%. Therefore, the number of elderly people suffering from this disease is very large, and thus it is essential to pay attention to this disease. This disease is mainly caused by the death of nerve cells due to many reasons. Currently, there is no effective cure for this disease, but there are some drugs that can alleviate the symptoms. These drugs mainly include cholinesterase inhibitors, which can increase the content of acetylcholine in the brain, improving the level of cognitive function in patients. Additionally, symptomatic treatment should be noted to prevent lung infections, malnutrition, and other complications in the elderly.