Dementia: Understanding Cognitive Decline and Memory Loss

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to interfere with daily functioning.

Core Features

• Memory impairment (especially recent memory)
• Language difficulties (aphasia)
• Impaired judgment and executive function
• Visuospatial deficits
• Behavioral and personality changes

Causes

Brain damage from various diseases:

• Alzheimer's disease (60-70% of cases)
• Vascular dementia (stroke, small vessel disease)
• Lewy body dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Mixed dementias
• Other: Parkinson's, Huntington's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, TBI, infections, etc.

Severity

Ranges from mild (subtle functional impact) to severe (total dependence).

Early diagnosis enables planning, treatment of reversible causes, and access to support.