There is currently no "cure" for dementia. In fact, because dementia is caused by different diseases it is unlikely that there will be a single cure for dementia.
There is currently no cure for most types of dementia – including the dementia caused by Alzheimer's disease. These types of dementia are what we call “neurodegenerative.” The progression of these dementias cannot be reversed right now; symptoms gradually get worse.
Dementia is often called a 'life limiting' condition although people have been known to live with it for as long as 26 years after they first start showing symptoms.
“Dementia is irreversible when caused by degenerative disease or trauma, but might be reversible in some cases when caused by drugs, alcohol, hormone or vitamin imbalances, or depression,” explains The Cleveland Clinic. “The frequency of 'treatable' causes of dementia is believed to be about 20 percent.”
Worldwide, that number jumps to nearly 50 million. Age is the most significant factor in whether a person shows symptoms of Alzheimer's, and although diagnostic information to confirm the disease is improving, there are still no cures or treatments to slow down or stop the progression of the disease.
In contrast, the brain has a limited capacity to regenerate and repair itself. Even when brain cells begin to die off in Alzheimer's or other types of dementia, there aren't nearly enough new cells dividing and surviving to repair the brain.
Scripture assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even a dementia that may strip a person of her awareness of God's presence (Romans 8:38-29).
Exposure to vitamin D was associated with significantly higher dementia-free survival, compared to no exposure (Figure 2A). The 5-year survival for D− was 68.4% (95% CI: 67.1%–69.7%), while for D+ it was 83.6% (95% CI: 82.3%–84.9%). MCI was associated with lower dementia-free survival than NC, as expected.
Many people affected by dementia are concerned that they may inherit or pass on dementia. The majority of dementia is not inherited by children and grandchildren. In rarer types of dementia there may be a strong genetic link, but these are only a tiny proportion of overall cases of dementia.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
People often live for years with dementia. While it can be difficult to think of these diseases as terminal, they do eventually lead to death. Caregivers often experience special challenges surrounding the end of life of someone with dementia in part because the disease progression is so unpredictable.
A number of case reports refer to an unexpected return of mental clarity in individuals with longstanding dementia or other neuropsychiatric conditions. It's been called “paradoxical lucidity” due to its puzzling nature, or “terminal lucidity” because it seems to occur at the end of life.
The average life expectancy figures for the most common types of dementia are as follows: Alzheimer's disease – around eight to 10 years. Life expectancy is less if the person is diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years.
In the earlier stages, memory loss and confusion may be mild. The person with dementia may be aware of — and frustrated by — the changes taking place, such as difficulty recalling recent events, making decisions or processing what was said by others.
Age. The biggest risk factor for dementia is ageing. This means as a person gets older, their risk of developing dementia increases a lot. For people aged between 65 and 69, around 2 in every 100 people have dementia.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease causes a type of dementia that gets worse unusually fast. More common causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia, typically progress more slowly. Through a process scientists don't yet understand, misfolded prion protein destroys brain cells.
Studies show that dementia risk is lowest in people who have several healthy behaviours in mid-life (aged 40–65). These behaviours include: ∎regular mental, physical and social activity ∎not smoking ∎drinking alcohol only in moderation ∎keeping a healthy diet.
Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid: Being deficient in both Vitamin B12 and folic acid is common in those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Taken together, these two supplements can help lower the levels of an amino acid in the blood that is often linked to dementia.
Lecanemab works by removing a sticky protein from the brain that is believed to cause Alzheimer's disease to advance. “It's very exciting because this is the first treatment in our history that shows an unequivocal slowing of decline in Alzheimer's disease,” says Dr. van Dyck.
Avoid asking too many open-ended questions about the past, as it could be stressful for a person with dementia if they can't remember the answer. While it might seem polite to ask somebody about their day, it's better to focus on what's happening in the present.
Loving God, Healer and Comforter,
we pray for those who suffer from the anxiety, ambiguity and confusion of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Look with mercy upon their distress, confusion or isolation. Shelter them where dignity and peace abound.
Pseudodementia (fake dementia or fake cognitive decline) occurs when a person is so slowed down from depression or another psychiatric illness that they present as intellectually or cognitively impaired.