Contents:

Introduction
Neurological disorders are diseases of the brain, spine and
the nerves that connect them. There are more than 600
diseases of the nervous system, such as brain tumors,
epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and stroke as well as less
familiar ones such as frontotemporal dementia.

What is the most common neurological

disorder?
Here is a look at a few of the most common neurological
disorders: Alzheimer's and Dementia – These conditions are
some of the most common and affect the individual's
memory and ability to think. Alzheimer's is most commonly
associated with the aging process and there unfortunately is
no cure.

What is the difference between

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease aren't the
same. Dementia is an overall term used to describe symptoms
that impact memory, performance of daily activities, and
communication abilities. ... Alzheimer's disease gets worse
with time and affects memory, language, and thought.
About Dementia
-Dementia is an overall term for diseases and conditions characterized by
a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking skills
that affect a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Memory loss
is an example. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia.

Symptoms:
Although the early signs vary, common early symptoms of
dementia include:
 memory problems, particularly remembering recent events.
 increasing confusion.
 reduced concentration.
 personality or behaviour changes.
 apathy and withdrawal or depression.
 loss of ability to do everyday tasks.
Causes:
The most common causes of dementia
The most common causes of dementia include:
 Degenerative neurological diseases. These include Alzheimer's
disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and some types of
multiple sclerosis. These diseases get worse over time.
 Vascular disorders. These are disorders that affect the blood circulation
in your brain.
 Traumatic brain injuries caused by car accidents, falls, concussions, etc.
 Infections of the central nervous system. These include meningitis, HIV,
and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
 Long-time alcohol or drug use
 Certain types of hydrocephalus, a build up of fluid in the brain.

Stages:
Usually, dementia goes through these stages. But it may vary depending on
the area of the brain that is affected.
1) No impairment: Someone at this stage will show no symptoms, but
tests may reveal a problem.
2) Very mild decline: You may notice slight changes in behavior, but your
loved one will still be independent.
3) Mild decline: You'll notice more changes in his thinking and reasoning.
He may have trouble making plans, and he may repeat himself a lot. He
may also have a hard time remembering recent events.
4) Moderate decline: He'll have more problems with making plans and
remembering recent events. He may have a hard time with traveling
and handling money.
5) Moderately severe decline: He may not remember his phone number
or his grandchildren's names.He may be confused about the time of
day or day of the week. At this point, he will need assistance with some
basic day-to-day functions, such as picking out clothes to wear.
6)
7)
8) 6) Severe decline: He'll begin to forget the name of his spouse. He'll
 6) Severe decline: He'll begin to forget the name of his spouse. He'll
need help going to the restroom and eating. You may also see
changes in his personality and emotions.
7) Very severe decline: He can no longer speak this thoughts. He can't
walk and will spend most of his time in bed.

About Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer's disease (AD), also referred to simply as Alzheimer's, is a
chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and
gradually worsens over time. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of
dementia. ... The disease process is associated with plaques and
neurofibrillary tangles in the brain
Facts on the disease:
 Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia.
 It happens when plaques containing beta amyloid form in the brain.
 As symptoms worsen, it becomes harder for people to remember
recent events, to reason, and to recognize people they know.
 Eventually, a person with Alzheimer's is likely to need full-time
assistance

Symptoms:
 Difficulty remembering things that just happened. ...
 Inability to plan or solve problems. ...
 Losing track of dates, seasons and time. ...
 Misplacing things. ...
 Mood and personality changes. ...
 Poor decision-making. ...
 Struggling with conversations. ...
 Trouble completing familiar tasks.

Causes:
Scientists believe that for most people, Alzheimer's disease is caused
by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that
affect the brain over time. Less than 1 percent of the time,
Alzheimer's is caused by specific genetic changes that virtually
guarantee a person will develop the disease
While there is no known cause for Alzheimer's disease, some research
studies have indicated that the following factors may play an important
role in the development of the condition:
  Genetic factors, such as the presence of, or changes to, certain
genes

 Environmental factors, such as long-term exposure to some

environmental solvents (eg: pesticides, glues and paints) or
infection with certain viruses or bacteria
 Lifestyle factors, such as a lack of exercise, poor-quality sleep and
a diet lacking fruit and vegetables
Identified risk factors for developing the condition include:
Increasing age
Down syndrome
History of a head injury
Risk factors for blood vessel disease such as smoking
Family history of Alzheimer's disease
Obesity
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Insulin resistance.
There is some evidence of a slightly higher prevalence of Alzheimer's
disease in females than males, but this may reflect their longer life
expectancy.

Late-Onset Alzheimer's Early-Onset Alzheimer's

Signs first appear in a person's Signs first appear between a
mid-60s person's 30s and mid-60s
Most common type Very rare
May involve a gene called APOE ɛ4 Usually caused by gene changes
passed down from parent to child

How Are They Different?

When a person is diagnosed with dementia, they are being diagnosed
with a set of symptoms. This is similar to someone who has a sore
throat. Their throat is sore but it is not known what is causing that
particular symptom. It could be allergies, a common cold or strep
throat. Similarly, when someone has dementia they are experiencing
symptoms without being told what is causing those symptoms.
Another major difference between the two is that Alzheimer’s is not a
reversible disease. It is degenerative and incurable at this time. Some
forms of dementia, such as a drug interaction or a vitamin deficiency,
are actually reversible or temporary.
Once a cause of dementia is found, appropriate treatment and
counseling can begin. Until a proper diagnosis is made, the best
approach to any dementia is communication, engagement and loving
care.
Awareness on Alzheimer’s:
Background: Clinicians and researchers have commonly observed
deficits in awareness in patient's suffering from Alzheimer's disease
(AD). The most frequently noted deficits involve a patient's inability to
recognize their own cognitive limitations. This abnormality of
awareness in AD is referred to as anosognosia.
A nutritious diet, physical activity, social engagement, and mentally
stimulating pursuits have all been associated with helping people stay
healthy as they age. These factors might also help reduce the risk of
cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Clinical trials are testing
some of these possibilities.
Why is it so important to raise
awareness on Dementia?
Dementia is the name of a group of progressive diseases that affect
cognition and other crucial functions of the brain. Alzheimer’s disease
is the most common cause of dementia, followed by vascular
dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia.
Age is the main risk factor; there is a 1 in 15 chance of developing
dementia at the age of 65, increasing to 1 in 3 for those over 85.
As our world population rapidly ages, there are a growing number of
people who develop dementia. Research showed that in 2015, there
was one new case of dementia somewhere in the world every three
seconds. This is four times as much as new cases of HIV/AIDS. There is
currently no cure for dementia.
The impact of the disease is huge: for the individual, who lose the grip
on their life; for the family who care for a person with dementia; and
finally for society, that has to deal with the growing group of people in
need of care and support. In the highest income countries, the cost of
dementia care is already more than that for cancer and heart disease
combined.
Almost 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and almost 60%
live in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs). This number is
expected to increase to over 130 million by 2050. I know from my
own family experience how difficult it is to deal with dementia and I
see in both countries where I spend most of my time, the UK and
Netherlands, how they struggle with finding the resources (money
and qualified people) to provide care and support to people with
dementia.
Just to prove the theory on the lack of awareness
on dementia, I performed an experiment. In this
experiment, a lot of people filled out a
questionnaire (which is given below) and recorded
their results. Given below is the questions asked
and the answers received.
Bibliography
Websites
 Biomedcentral.com
 Webmd
 Wikipedia
 alzheimersawarenesssite

Magazines

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