PSYC33H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Polyphagia, Neurotransmitter, Sleep Disorder
Document Summary
Main definition: a loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living, lasting more than six months and not associated with a loss or alteration of consciousness. Dementia is caused by gradual death of brain cells. The loss of cognitive abilities lead to impairment in memory, reasoning, planning, speech and behavior. 15 % of canadians met criteria for dementia. Alzheimer"s disease 60-70% -cell damage throughout brain. Vascular dementias 20% - when cells deprived of oxygen. Lewy body 5-15% - abnormal protein deposits in brain nerve cells. Frontal temporal dementia cell damage in an umbrella pattern until later stages. 90% of patients affected by dementia will express behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementias that are considered severe enough to be labeled as a problem during the course of their illness. Agitation (75%), wandering (60%), depression (50%), psychosis(30%), screaming and aggression (20%) are most common.
