Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Dementias
Number of Conditions: 4
Alzheimer’s disease
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Neurological and Cognitive Disorders
Sub-category: Dementias
Symptoms:
memory loss; difficulty planning or solving problems; confusion with time or place; trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships; difficulty speaking or writing; misplacing items and inability to retrace steps; poor judgment and decision-making
Root Cause:
The accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain causes brain cell death and disrupts communication between neurons.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosis is primarily clinical through a medical history review, cognitive testing, neuroimaging (such as MRI or CT scans), and ruling out other conditions. Biomarker tests for amyloid plaques and tau may also be used.
Treatment:
Medications to manage symptoms, such as cholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil, Rivastigmine, Galantamine) and NMDA receptor antagonists (Memantine). Non-drug interventions like cognitive stimulation therapy and maintaining a structured environment.
Medications:
Donepezil (cholinesterase inhibitor), Rivastigmine (cholinesterase inhibitor), Galantamine (cholinesterase inhibitor), Memantine (NMDA receptor antagonist). These medications help with cognitive symptoms but do not cure the disease.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Alzheimer’s disease affects an estimated 6.5 million people in the U.S., with prevalence increasing as the population ages.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age, family history, genetics (e.g., APOE e4 allele), head trauma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, low education levels, and lifestyle factors like poor diet and lack of physical activity.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressive decline in memory and cognitive abilities; life expectancy after diagnosis is typically 4-8 years, but it can be longer or shorter.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased risk of infections (e.g., pneumonia), difficulty with mobility, malnutrition, and eventual loss of independence.
Vascular dementia
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Neurological and Cognitive Disorders
Sub-category: Dementias
Symptoms:
memory problems; difficulty concentrating or planning; confusion and disorientation; trouble walking and with motor skills; mood changes, including depression or apathy; sudden onset of symptoms after a stroke or series of mini-strokes (tias)
Root Cause:
Reduced blood flow to the brain due to damaged blood vessels, often as a result of strokes or chronic conditions such as hypertension or diabetes, leading to brain cell damage.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, imaging studies (MRI or CT scans), neuropsychological tests, and ruling out other types of dementia.
Treatment:
Managing underlying conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol). Medications to treat symptoms and prevent further strokes (e.g., antiplatelet drugs, anticoagulants). Cognitive rehabilitation and supportive care.
Medications:
Antihypertensives (e.g., Lisinopril , Amlodipine ), antiplatelet agents (e.g., Aspirin , Clopidogrel ), and cholesterol-lowering drugs (e.g., Atorvastatin ). These medications address the vascular causes but do not reverse the dementia.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
It accounts for approximately 10-20% of dementia cases in older adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressive decline, but the rate may be slower than Alzheimer's disease. Lifespan after diagnosis varies but may be 5-10 years.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased risk of future strokes, falls, infections, and complications related to immobility.
Lewy body dementia
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Neurological and Cognitive Disorders
Sub-category: Dementias
Symptoms:
fluctuating cognitive abilities; visual hallucinations; parkinsonism (tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia); rem sleep behavior disorder (acting out dreams); depression and anxiety
Root Cause:
Abnormal clumps of protein (Lewy bodies) build up in the brain, disrupting normal brain function and leading to cognitive decline, movement disorders, and psychiatric symptoms.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, neuroimaging (MRI, CT), and assessment of symptoms. A definitive diagnosis is made post-mortem.
Treatment:
Medications such as cholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil) for cognitive symptoms. Antipsychotics carefully (due to sensitivity to these drugs). Levodopa for Parkinsonism-related motor symptoms.
Medications:
Donepezil (cholinesterase inhibitor), Rivastigmine (cholinesterase inhibitor), Levodopa (dopamine precursor). Careful use of antipsychotics (e.g., Quetiapine ) for hallucinations, although they can exacerbate movement symptoms.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 1.4 million people in the U.S.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Age, family history, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressive cognitive and motor decline, with a life expectancy of about 5-8 years following diagnosis.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe motor disability, increased risk of falls, and difficulty with swallowing, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia.
Frontotemporal dementia
Specialty: Senior Health and Geriatrics
Category: Neurological and Cognitive Disorders
Sub-category: Dementias
Symptoms:
personality and behavior changes (e.g., impulsivity, inappropriate behavior, apathy); difficulty with language (e.g., speaking or understanding speech); emotional blunting; motor difficulties, including rigidity and tremors in some cases
Root Cause:
Degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to the loss of neurons in those regions that control behavior, emotions, and language.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical assessment, neuroimaging (MRI or PET scan), and ruling out other causes of symptoms. Genetic testing may be used for certain subtypes.
Treatment:
No specific treatment, but medications can manage symptoms (e.g., antidepressants for mood changes). Behavioral interventions to manage challenging behaviors.
Medications:
Antidepressants (e.g., Sertraline , Fluoxetine ) for behavioral symptoms, antipsychotics (e.g., Risperidone ) may be used cautiously for severe agitation.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 5-10% of people with dementia, typically younger individuals (50-60 years old).
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, genetic mutations (e.g., mutations in the MAPT, GRN, and C9orf72 genes).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressively worsens, with life expectancy usually between 6-8 years after diagnosis, but it varies.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Severe behavioral problems, difficulty in communication, motor problems, and inability to care for oneself.