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What is Dementia?

Written by Manal Usmani and Edited by Sorina Long

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

The term dementia is often used to describe the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, two common types of degenerative brain disorders. However, the precise definition is not limited to these diseases. In general, dementia refers to a specific group of neurological symptoms that are impaired due to disease or physical harm to the brain. Symptoms include reduced social skills, decreased mental clarity, and forgetfulness, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. The purpose of coining this term was to be able to diagnose patients who have not yet been determined to have a certain named disease. For example, a patient might start exhibiting a couple of dementia-like symptoms that need attention and further investigation. Tests such as computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) need to be ordered so that healthcare providers can diagnose a specific disorder. It is imperative to figure out if a patient qualifies with the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s so that appropriate treatment can be prescribed.

Recently, sex-specific findings on the progression of dementia have emerged. Overall, women are at a greater risk of developing dementia and subsequently Alzheimer’s. Two out of three individuals with dementia are women, according to the National Institute of Health [1]. Several studies contribute to the validity and explain this astonishing number. Males and females have similar amounts of the tau protein, proteins that become misfolded and abnormally shaped in dementia patients, in similar presentations of the disease so this is not the sex separating factor [2]. There are a greater number of biological markers in the central nervous system that are associated with dementia, found to be significantly higher in the cerebrospinal fluid, the nutrient-rich fluid around the spine and brain, of females [2]. In addition to this, women report lower scores on cognitive tests when compared to men who report similar groups of cognitive problems. Because of this evidence, researchers have been interested in addressing this disproportionately affected group. Exercise has proven to be a preventative measure to combat disease in general, and thus, doctors often recommend exercise to every patient. As such, a  robust study showed that physical activity is correlated with reducing the risk of dementia in women [3]. Scientists have been engaging in clinical trial research to test their hypothesis that long-term exercise, defined as consistent daily physical activity for more than two years, is a preventative measure against early cognitive impairment [4]. Overall, for both men and women, it is important to keep their cognitive functioning engaged so that it does not deteriorate. Physical health is strongly linked to mental health, which should be protected as well. 

References:

  1. Beam, C.R., Kaneshiro, C., Jang, J.Y., Reynolds, C.A., Pedersen, N.L., Gatza, M. (2018). Differences Between Women and Men in Incidence Rates of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 64:1077-1083.
  2. Van de Beek, M., Mofrad, R.B., Van Steenoven, I. Vanderstichele, H., Scheltens, P., Teunissen, C.E., Lemstra A.W., Van der Flier, W.M. (2020). Sex-specific associations with cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in dementia with Lewy bodies. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy. 12:67-78.
  3. Najar, J., Ostlin, S., Gudmundsson, P., Sundh, V., Johansson, L., Kern, S., Guo, X., Hallstrom, T., Skoog, I. (2019). Cognitive and physical activity and dementia: A 44-year longitudinal population study of women. Neurology. 92:12-29.
  4. Juliano, E., di Cagno, A., Cristofano, A., Angiolillo, A., D’Aversa, R., Ciccotelli, S., Corbi, G., Fiorilli, G., Calcagno, G., Di Costanzo, A. (2019). Physical exercise for prevention of dementia (EPD) study. BMC public health. 19:659-669. 

Published in Medicine

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