TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Do you know what the difference between dementia with Alzheimer’s? Sometimes people think of dementia or dementia with alzheimer’s are the same. In essence, both show symptoms of forgetfulness and the sufferer is elderly.
This assumption is both right and wrong. Alzheimer’s is one of many types of dementia. The dementia consists of several categories, including Alzheimer’s dementia itself, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s dementia, fronto-temporal dementia, and Lewy bodies dementia.
In layman’s terms, dementia is the same as senile. This is a condition that describes a collection of symptoms of decreased cognitive function, such as memory, emotion, decision making, and other brain functions. Because it is so severe, this senile condition interferes with a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
If left unchecked, then slowly more and more parts of the brain are damaged and the symptoms that arise become more severe. The older you are, the more susceptible you are to developing dementia.
executive director Alzheimer Indonesia or ALZI, Michael Dirk R. Maitimoe said Alzheimer’s dementia is a decrease in brain function that affects memory, emotions, behavior, and other brain functions. “For example, forgetting how to cook, being unable to plan, and so on,” Michael said at an online press conference entitled “Recognizing Alzheimer’s Dementia and the Importance of Early Detection” on Friday, September 24, 2021.
Illustration of an elderly couple/grandparents. Freepix.com
There is ten symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia. If the companion or the elderly themselves feel these symptoms, immediately consult a neurologist, psychiatrist, or geriatrician. “We need pharmacological assistance (taking medication according to doctor’s recommendations) and non-pharmacological (psychological and social) assistance,” said Michael.
Citing the Indonesian Alzheimer’s page, brain A person with Alzheimer’s experiences a buildup of abnormal substances that result in disruption of the signaling system between nerve cells. Damaged nerve cells trigger a decrease in the production of important chemicals in the brain, namely neurotransmitters, which communicate between nerve cells.
Several risk factors that can trigger Alzheimer’s dementia include lack of physical activity, smoking habits, excessive alcohol consumption, air pollution, head injuries, rarely socializing, lack of education, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and hearing loss. There is no cure for dementia yet. However, the rate of this disease can be suppressed through early detection, then taking the necessary actions.
Also read:
Tips to Distinguish Forgetting due to senile, careless, or tiredness
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