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Newsfeed display by CaRP It's a pity when one encounters people known for their brilliant minds progressively losing their memory, intelligence and other brain functions.

Dementia is the impairment of brain functions such as memory, reasoning and judgment so severe that it affects a person’s ability to function at his usual level. The severity of dementia depends on the number and location of brain cells called neurons that are damaged or destroyed. Its frequency of occurrence doubles every five years, starting from around 2.5 percent among people aged 65 to more than 30 percent among those above 85.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships. They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, and they may experience personality changes and behavioral problems, such as agitation, delusions, and hallucinations.

While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. Doctors diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory and language skills -- are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness. Some of the diseases that can cause symptoms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Doctors have identified other conditions that can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms including reactions to medications, metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, infections, poisoning, brain tumors, anoxia or hypoxia (conditions in which the brain’s oxygen supply is either reduced or cut off entirely), and heart and lung problems.

Although it is common in very elderly individuals, dementia is not a normal part of the aging process.

While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. Doctors diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory and language skills -- are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness. Some of the diseases that can cause symptoms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Doctors have identified other conditions that can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms including reactions to medications, metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, infections, poisoning, brain tumors, anoxia or hypoxia (conditions in which the brain’s oxygen supply is either reduced or cut off entirely), and heart and lung problems.

Although it is common in very elderly individuals, dementia is not a normal part of the aging process.

Researchers are working double-time to identify the various causes of dementia and ways to prevent, or at least, retard it.

A study by the Institute of Preventive Medicine at Kommunehospitalet in Copenhagen found that people who drink wine occasionally may have a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

It showed that those who drank wine in moderate quantities weekly or monthly were more than twice less likely to develop dementia. Those who drank wine every day were no more or less likely to develop dementia than those who drank it more or less often.

However, excessive alcohol drinking has been established in other studies to have a destructive effect on the brain cells and other organs like the heart. The problem is determining what is moderate and what is excessive drinking.

"These results don’t mean that people should start drinking wine or drink more wine than they usually do," said study author Dr. Thomas Truelsen. "But the results are exciting because they could mean that substances in wine reduce the occurrence of dementia. If that’s the case, we could potentially develop treatments or prevention methods based on these substances."

What is it in red wine that has a brain-protective effect? It could not be the alcohol because other alcoholic drinks didn’t show the same effect. In fact, the study found that occasional beer drinking was associated with an increased risk of developing dementia. Those who drank beer monthly were more than two times more likely to develop dementia than those who never or hardly ever drank beer.

The researchers hypothesize that flavonoids in red wine exert an antioxidant effect and are likely responsible for preventing dementia. Other studies have suggested that flavonoids may account for a lower occurrence of stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases among wine drinkers.

Detecting dementia early is of prime importance. Memory loss is the most common symptom of dementia. However, when one becomes forgetful, one should not panic that he might have dementia. A little trouble remembering names or events is normal in aging. Normal memory loss does not interfere with the activities of daily living.

Memory loss that becomes worse with time usually means that a person has lost some thinking ability. A person may have mild cognitive impairment, a middle ground between normal functioning and dementia. People who have mild impairment may be in the earliest stage of dementia, or they may remain at the existing level of ability for a long time.

A person who has progressive memory loss or exhibits unusual behavior and changes in personality should see a health professional. In most instances, he may have already lost the judgment to decide to see a doctor, so relatives or caregivers must take the initiative to bring him to the doctor. Tests can be done to find the cause and to assess the level of mental functioning.

Drugs to specifically treat Alzheimer’s disease and some other progressive dementias are now available. Although these drugs do not halt the disease or reverse existing brain damage, they can improve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. This may improve an individual’s quality of life, ease the burden on caregivers, or delay admission to a nursing home. Many researchers are also examining whether these drugs may be useful for treating other types of dementia. Many people with dementia, particularly those in the early stages, may benefit from practicing tasks designed to improve performance in specific aspects of cognitive functioning. For example, people can sometimes be taught to use memory aids, such as mnemonics, computerized recall devices, or note taking.

There are many disorders that can cause dementia. Some, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Huntington’s disease, lead to a progressive loss of mental functions. But other types of dementia can be halted or reversed with appropriate treatment. People with moderate or advanced dementia typically need round-the-clock care and supervision to prevent them from harming themselves or others. They also may need assistance with daily activities such as eating, bathing, and dressing.