Dementia is a condition that produces the progressive loss of cognitive abilities, as a result of the damage caused by the presence of other diseases. Among the most common forms of dementia is Alzheimer's, which affects the ability to carry out daily activities and deteriorates, especially, memory. In general, dementia affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, behavior. It is normal that it occurs in old age, and that its progress slows down over the years. During 2014 it was determined that this condition affects around 47.5 million people in the world.
The chance of developing dementia increases over the years. The average age at which the first symptoms begin to be experienced ranges from 60 to 70 years. This is caused by suffering from diseases such as Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, infections such as HIV / AIDS, syphilis and Lyme disease, Parkinson's disease, Pick's disease, and progressive supra-nuclear palsy. In the same way, the origin of this can be found in brain lesions, brain tumors, chronic alcohol abuse and changes in the levels of sugar, calcium and sodium in the blood (thus, it would be called dementia of metabolic origin).
At the beginning of the disease, it is common for the individual to experience sporadic episodes of spatial-temporal disorientation, in addition to the lack of self-identity. According to the diseases that have been diagnosed, these can be followed by delusions, depression and psychotic features. Subsequently, the degeneration of brain tissues begins, these and their consequences are irreversible. Thus, basic abilities, such as speech or the simple use of language, motor skills and short-term memory are affected.
