Dementia is a syndrome primarily related to cognitive impairment, resulting in the loss of short-term memory as well as growing incapabilities in language, calculation, orientation, attention, judgment and decision-making. In more severe cases, a personality change and abnormal psychological behaviour can occur.

There are many different kinds of dementia, and the causes vary, but they can be divided into three major categories:

1. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. The causes of this degenerative disease are unknown and there is currently no cure. Patients, who are generally elderly, experience progressive deterioration in cognition.
2. Multi-infarct dementia (also known as Vascular Dementia) is caused by multiple strokes or vascular diseases, which originate from the damage of multiple small blood vessels resulting in accumulation of damage to the brain. Patients usually experience a step-by-step deterioration in brain function.
3. Other important causes of dementing symptoms include depression, malnutrition, thyroid secretion disorders, lack of vitamin B12 and brain trauma. Some of these conditions when appropriately treated will reverse the cognitive deterioration. In addition, some dementia-related diseases may present themselves as complications of other diseases, such as Parkinson's and AIDS.

Sometimes, other health problems, such as depression, poor hearing, language communication disorders, drug reactions and blood poisoning, can be mistaken for dementia.

If you suspect that a family member or friend is suffering from dementia, contact a private practitioner or government doctor as soon as possible, for an initial diagnosis and treatment initiated. A referral to a specialist can then be made for more complex cases . These specialists include geriatricians, psychogeriatricians, neurologist or internal medicine. Typical symptoms of dementia include:

1. Loss of short-term memory, affecting work or self-care ability
2. Difficulty in undertaking familiar tasks
3. Difficulties in linguistic expression or comprehension
4. Confusion of time, direction and orientation
5. Decreasing judgment ability
6. Difficulties in thinking and calculation
7. Misplacing things
8. Unstable emotions and behaviour
9. Changes in personality
10. Loss of initiative and the will to do things

Treatment for dementia can be categorised into drug and non-drug treatments.

With regard to drug treatment, all drugs for dementia must be prescribed by a doctor. Drugs are normally used for people suffering from early and mild dementia. Apart from the drugs, non-drug treatment also plays an important role in the treatment of dementia.

A number of medical journals have confirmed that a variety of non-drug treatments, including cognitive training, reality orientation, validation therapy, multi-sensory stimulation, reminiscence therapy, music therapy, art therapy and other psychological and behavioural therapies, can effectively improve patients' psychological and behavioural problems.

In addition to seeking treatment, patients also need community service support, which include day care centres, homecare and home-based training, respite services and carer support.

To learn more about dementia and other related information, visit the Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association's website at www.hkada.org.hk

Dr Wu Yee-ming
Chairman of Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association