Causes of Dementia

Some people would like to believe that dementia could be treated, but the reality is that once it has set in, your health can go down in a hurry. Because dementia is associated with old age, the general public might not realize that it can be the result of many things. Dementia can be the result of many things including Huntington’s disease, Parkinson disease, Pick disease, HIV/AIDS, Progressive supranuclear palsy and even a brain injury that is considered severe. For the simple fact that dementia can be caused by so many things is the reason that it is hard to treat or prevent. However, there are a couple of scenarios that would allow for the reversal or prevention of dementia if they are found soon enough.

Things like brain tumors, brain injury, and chronic alcohol abuse, lack of vitamin B12, drastic changes in blood sugar or even certain types of medicines can cause dementia. Dementia is also very hard to diagnose in a patient because it can be as simple as being forgetful. Being forgetful might not seem like it is that big of deal because it occasionally happens to everyone at some point. Forgetting where you put your car keys is not going to prompt anyone to take you to the doctor to get checked out for dementia. A serious brain injury can be a result of many things including a car accident, hitting your head after a trip or fall, a virus and even cancer. All of these types of brain injuries can cause dementia, or the loss of brain function. Brain functions are typically associated with memory, thinking, judgment, behavior and language.

Huntington’s disease is one thing that can lead to dementia. Basically the disease is caused by a defect on chromosome number 4. This disease affects part of your DNA causing the CAG repeat to occur more than normal. Normally, this part of your DNA is repeated about 20-30 times, but if you are suffering from Huntington’s disease the CAG repeat is going to be noticed in your DNA up to 120 times. If the gene is passed along through the family, the repeated section tends to get larger. The more repeats in the DNA, the higher the chances of developing the symptoms for the disease earlier in life. Those that have the highest risk of developing the symptoms would be in their mid 30’s to early 40’s. Having the symptoms in your teens or childhood is very uncommon.

Symptoms of the disease would include behavioral disturbances, hallucinations, irritability, moodiness, restlessness, paranoia and even psychosis in some cases. Dementia starts, symptoms like disorientation, confusion, loss of judgment, loss of memory and changes in speech will start to get worse. As listed above, this is not the only disease that can cause dementia in patients. Parkinson’s Disease is also a well known cause of dementia. Parkinson’s Disease causes brain cells to die and they are the cells that are needed for movement and coordination. Typical symptoms involve serious shaking or tremors and trouble walking. The disease develops after the age of 50 and is seen most commonly a problem with the nervous system.

Parkinson’s Disease is found in men more than woman and can sometimes run in the family. However, a child with Parkinson’s Disease is quite rare. Because your brain cells are dying when you are affected by the disease, this can lead to dementia. As the brain cells that control movement and coordination start to die, other cells that control memory and other normal functions will be affected as well. There is a long list of symptoms that come with Parkinson’s Disease include stiff muscles, drooling, slow blinking, low blood pressure, constipation, difficulty moving or eating, as well as tremors.

The last two causes of Dementia are typically not reversible, but there are some that are. They include dementia caused by alcohol abuse and low vitamin B12 level. Because alcohol abuse can be an additive part of your life, but it can also be reversed. If you have symptoms of dementia and it has been diagnosed as caused by alcohol abuse, there is plenty of help that you can get. Alcohol abuse can also cause brain injury as well and in that case the dementia might not be reversible. Many people do not associate vitamins with being healthy and that is a bad mindset to be involved in. Low minerals and vitamins in the body can lead to many things and if you have a low B12 count, dementia could be a result. Vitamin B12 helps with metabolism, the formation of red blood cells and the body’s ability to maintain the central nervous system.

One group of people that could be affected by low vitamin B12 counts are vegetarians or vegans. Typically, a vegetarian does not eat any meat, or products that come from animals. Because the main sources of the vitamin include beef liver, clams and chicken, getting enough B12 can be difficult for them. Taking a supplement with your meals is one way that you can make sure you are getting enough B12 in your diet, especially if you are over the age of 50 as the body tends to lose its ability to remove B12 from foods at that point.



This is just a few of the things that actually cause dementia, which can be very serious as it takes over the body very quickly. Since the brain is the main source of activity for the body, it is important that we take good care of it and stay healthy the best ways that we can.