As the largest resource of information specific to women's brain health, we are sure you will find what you are looking for, and promise that you will discover new information.
Published on: September 14, 2012
by Elizabeth Nolan Brown for AARP:
One of the biggest misconceptions about dementia is that it’s part of the normal course of aging. Alarmingly, that’s a belief shared by many caregivers for older adults. A new survey of relatives and friends caring for people now diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other dementia found two-thirds mistook early symptoms for normal cognitive wear and tear. In doing so, they may have delayed proper diagnosis and early treatment for their loved ones.
The survey, “Alzheimer’s Caregivers: Behavioral vs. Cognitive Challenges,” was released yesterday by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The findings “reinforce that education and early detection must be among the nation’s key strategies in tackling” Alzheimer’s, said AFA President Eric Hall. “Families can’t afford missed opportunities for help that can result from a timely and proper diagnosis.”
The majority of caregivers surveyed said they were aware Alzheimer’s disease has both cognitive and behavioral symptoms. But two-thirds (64 percent) didn’t recognize the behavioral symptoms as problems at first, instead believing they were ”just a normal part of aging.” Among this group of caregivers, 67 percent say their views delayed seeking diagnosis or treatment for their loved ones.
Behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s or other dementia include irritability, anxiety, personality changes, paranoia, aggression, wandering and sleeplessness.
Ultimately, cognitive symptoms seem to be more easily recognizable for caregivers. For the majority, mostly or only cognitive symptoms (41 percent) or a combination of cognitive and behavioral symptoms (40 percent) prompted a doctor’s visit. Only 12 percent said it was mostly or only behavioral symptoms that contributed.
Source: http://aarp.us/UZU0nm
Diagnosis of dementia is made via cognitive function tests such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and medical imaging systems at hospitals, a fairly large system for the purpose. As the population ages, an increasing number of...
In the past eight years, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2010), the European Commission (2014), and more recently the National Institutes of Health (2015), have announced policies requiring basic and clinical researchers to integrate sex as...
Two strains of human herpesvirus—human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7)—are found in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease at levels up to twice as high as in those without Alzheimer’s, according to...
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.
