In simple words, a dementia test is a lab test performed to check the level of dementia. Dementia is a form of mental illness, which is defined as a state of loss of brain's vital functions such as memory, thinking and understanding. Beginning with forgetfulness, dementia is a disorder, which is more prevalent in people above 60 years of age. The affected individuals will have problems in remembering mundane things and thinking sanely.
It is also believed that several medical illnesses like Parkinson's disease, Pick's disease and multiple sclerosis can also cause dementia. However, the good thing is that certain causes of dementia can be easily reversed if it is diagnosed and treated in time. These causes include brain tumors, lower levels of vitamin B12, changes in the levels of blood sugar, sodium and calcium.
While the symptoms of dementia are mostly abstract, the common visible signs include difficulty in language, memory and perception. The person affected with dementia may also lose his cognitive skills like calculating, understanding, analyzing and judging.
Dementia causes people to have trouble with their short term memory making them forget names, misplace their things or even get lost on familiar routes. These problems may seem too small to affect the normal course of life of a person but when dementia worsens, its symptoms tend to aggravate to an unbearable level.
People start forgetting current events, their own life history and experience changes in sleeping patterns. People may also blabber a lot under the affect of dementia. Such people often restrict their social life and may even turn violent. People affected by this disease may also experience hallucinations, anxiety, depression and agitation. A person with severe dementia may not even remember his name or recognize his family and friends.
The process of a dementia test includes lab investigation and physical examination by a professional medical practitioner. Several tests, like mental status reports, toxicology screening, B12 levels and blood ammonia levels are all performed along with brain scans, like the MRI scan or the CT scan. Brain scans usually detect strokes or tumors and may also show the degeneration of the outer layer of the brain, which is a case of extreme dementia.
The scans involving x-rays are conducted to detect the structure of the brain. During physical examination, several questions are asked by the doctors to analyze the effect of dementia on the person.
The objective of conducting the tests is to identify and control the symptoms that have caused dementia. Medication will control the behavioral problems that are a result of dementia. The treatment of dementia largely depends upon its specific cause. Hence, it is extremely important to get a dementia test so appropriate treatment can begin.
It is also believed that several medical illnesses like Parkinson's disease, Pick's disease and multiple sclerosis can also cause dementia. However, the good thing is that certain causes of dementia can be easily reversed if it is diagnosed and treated in time. These causes include brain tumors, lower levels of vitamin B12, changes in the levels of blood sugar, sodium and calcium.
While the symptoms of dementia are mostly abstract, the common visible signs include difficulty in language, memory and perception. The person affected with dementia may also lose his cognitive skills like calculating, understanding, analyzing and judging.
Dementia causes people to have trouble with their short term memory making them forget names, misplace their things or even get lost on familiar routes. These problems may seem too small to affect the normal course of life of a person but when dementia worsens, its symptoms tend to aggravate to an unbearable level.
People start forgetting current events, their own life history and experience changes in sleeping patterns. People may also blabber a lot under the affect of dementia. Such people often restrict their social life and may even turn violent. People affected by this disease may also experience hallucinations, anxiety, depression and agitation. A person with severe dementia may not even remember his name or recognize his family and friends.
The process of a dementia test includes lab investigation and physical examination by a professional medical practitioner. Several tests, like mental status reports, toxicology screening, B12 levels and blood ammonia levels are all performed along with brain scans, like the MRI scan or the CT scan. Brain scans usually detect strokes or tumors and may also show the degeneration of the outer layer of the brain, which is a case of extreme dementia.
The scans involving x-rays are conducted to detect the structure of the brain. During physical examination, several questions are asked by the doctors to analyze the effect of dementia on the person.
The objective of conducting the tests is to identify and control the symptoms that have caused dementia. Medication will control the behavioral problems that are a result of dementia. The treatment of dementia largely depends upon its specific cause. Hence, it is extremely important to get a dementia test so appropriate treatment can begin.
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