What is it about ?
Dementia is a condition marked by impaired brain functions (cognitive functions). It is characterized by decreased memory, with at least one other disorder (e.g. problems speaking (speech problem), loss of orientation in time and space, problems understanding meaning language, etc.).
The main risk factor for developing dementia is age.
Different causes are possible (and several can play a role at the same time). The two main ones are vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In the Alzheimer’s disease, there is a loss of certain nerve cells in the brain tissue. A vascular dementia is due to a problem with the blood circulation.
A number of other brain conditions can also be associated with dementia, such as Parkinson disease and Lewy body dementia. In Parkinson’s disease, there is a disruption in the production of dopamine (a substance that serves as a message between neurons) in a specific region of the brain. In Lewy body dementia, there is a deposit of substance in the nerve cells which forms what are called “Lewy bodies”.
What is their frequency?
Studies show that 6-7 in 10 people with Parkinson’s disease have memory problems.
Lewy body dementia affects about 1 in 20 people over the age of 75. It is a little more common in men.
How to recognize them?
Parkinson’s disease dementia
The Parkinson disease is characterized by tremors, stiffness and slowness of movement (“extrapyramidal motor disorders”). People with Parkinson’s disease take small steps and tend to speed up and fall. They often have difficulty starting with “blockages”. The older the age and the more marked the symptoms of Parkinson’s, the greater the risk of developing dementia. Dementia is characterized by a progressive decrease in attention, orientation in time and space, memory and the ability to perform daily activities.
There may also be behavioral changes, such as lack of initiative, hallucinations, delusions, drowsiness, and personality changes.
You can see memory problems yourself, especially when it comes to short-term memory. You may not remember yesterday’s events or have difficulty retaining new information.
Those around them often notice this because daily activities become more difficult and the person changes their behavior. For example, she may no longer find her way in a familiar environment, have more difficulty holding a conversation or performing complex actions (such as dressing or cooking), have different reactions than normal and walk less easily. .
Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia is characterized by visual hallucinations, which recur regularly. The person sees things that are not there.
Motor symptoms (stiffness in movement) are identical to those seen in Parkinson’s disease. Often a tremor at rest is also visible.
Attention and vigilance sometimes vary a lot, which can give rise to an alternation of episodes of normal presence and extreme absence.
Memory problems come later. They are not yet present in the early stages of the disease. If they are, the person probably also has early-stage Parkinson’s disease.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will ask you questions about any symptoms and perform a neurological clinical examination.
The doctor will suspect that you have dementia Parkinson disease if he observes the following:
- diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease made at least 1 year before the progressive onset of brain function disorders (cognitive functions);
- cognitive symptoms: disturbances in attention, executive functions, visual spatial functions and memory;
- behavioral symptoms: lack of initiative, personality changes, hallucinations, delusions, excessive sleepiness during the day.
The doctor will suspect Lewy body dementia if at least 2 of the following 3 criteria are met:
- impairment of brain functions (cognitive functions), with variation in attention and vigilance;
- detailed and repetitive visual hallucinations;
- motor characteristics of parkinsonism: stiffness, slowness, difficulty in walking and, sometimes, tremors.
What can you do ?
Better to inform what to cure … It is likely that a healthy lifestyle decreases the risk of developing dementia.
If you think you recognize, in yourself or in someone close to you, memory problems or other cognitive problems that have an impact on daily activities, talk to your doctor.
What can your doctor do?
You can’t cure dementia. Appropriate medication may possibly slow the progression slightly and alleviate the associated symptoms, but this is certainly not the basis of treatment.
The doctor will examine, in cooperation with other care providers, the need for and the possibility of providing additional assistance, for example housekeeping, nursing care, physiotherapy sessions and / or home arrangements. In addition, close relatives and friends should be educated about dementia and how to manage the illness of their loved one.
Want to know more?
- Parkinson’s Association (Belgium)
- France Parkinson
- Parkinson’s: learning to live with the disease – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
Are you looking for more specialized help?
- Parkinson’s Association
- Caregivers – An association that supports people who regularly help a dependent loved one because of their age, illness or disability
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