Dementia

 

Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a loss of brain function that occurs with age and certain diseases. Most types of dementia are nonreversible (degenerative).  It causes decline in memory, thinking, and language skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 70 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs due to many small strokes or poor circulation that makes blood unable to pass clot, is the second most common dementia type. Many dementias have a vascular component; these are referred to as mixed dementias. Stem cells are especially effective in treating these types of dementias.

 

But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies.

 

Dementia is often incorrectly referred to as "senility" or "senile dementia," which reflects the formerly widespread but incorrect belief that serious mental decline is a normal part of aging.