3h. Disorders Linked to Dementia

As we learned earlier, there are also many brain disorders linked to dementia. These include Huntington’s disease, traumatic brain injury, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS.

 

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Huntington’s disease
  • Huntington’s disease occurs when the cells in certain areas of the brain start to break down
  • The disease is genetic; if a person has the gene for Huntington’s, they will develop the disease at some point in their life
  • Early symptoms include:
    • Depression
    • Irritability
    • Mood swings
    • Difficulty learning new things
    • Forgetfulness
    • Trouble making decisions 
  • Later symptoms include:
    • Trouble swallowing or feeding oneself
    • Uncontrolled movements
    • Personality changes
    • Loss of memory and judgment
    • Hallucinations, paranoia, and psychosis 
    • Changes in speech
    • Confusion 
  • In rare cases, children will develop the disease and show symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
  • TBI is caused by a forceful blow to the head or body
  • Examples include:
    • A fall
    • Car crash
    • Sport injury
    • Being struck by an object
  • TBI can also be caused when an object pierces the skull and enters the brain
  • Examples include:
    • A bullet or weapon shrapnel
    • A bone fragment
    • A weapon such as a knife or hammer
  • What are some signs and symptoms of TBI?
    • Headache
    • Blurred vision
    • Nausea and/or vomiting
    • Clear fluids draining from the nose or ear
    • Loss or decrease of consciousness
    • Confusion or disorientation 
    • Memory problems 
    • Irritability or frustration
    • Hearing problems
    • Sensitivity to light or sound
    • Drowsiness
    • Light-headedness 
  • Some cases of TBI are mild and can cause temporary, or short-term problems
  • Other cases can be serious, leading to permanent damage, disability, or even death
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is fatal, and occurs when prion protein begins folding into an abnormal shape 
    • Prion protein is found throughout the body; when it begins this abnormal folding, it eventually affects the brain
    • As a result, brain cells are destroyed, leading to a decline in many functions 
  • One marker of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is that it progresses very quickly, compared to other types of dementia
  • Symptoms of the disease include:
    • Depression
    • Mood swings
    • Rapidly increased confusion
    • Memory, planning, thinking and judgment problems
    • Trouble walking
    • Vision problems
    • Muscle issues, including involuntary movements 
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease commonly develops spontaneously in persons between the ages of 60-65
  • 10-15% of cases are familial, which means the gene is passed down from a parent
Parkinson’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease occurs when nerve cells in the basal ganglia become damaged and/or die
    • The basal ganglia is an area of the brain that controls movement
  • Patients also lose nerve endings that send messages to control functions such as heart rate and blood pressure
  • Many patients with the disease contain Lewy bodies within their brain cells
  • Symptoms of Parkinson’s includes:
    • Tremors in the hands, arms, legs, jaw or head
    • Muscle stiffness
    • Slowed movement
    • Trouble with balance or coordination
    • Depression
    • Difficulty swallowing, chewing or speaking
    • Skin problems
  • Patients with Parkinson’s often walk leaning forward, with small, quick steps
  • Studies show that Parkinson’s tends to affect men more than women
  • In many cases, individuals will develop the disease after the age of 60
ALS
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease
  • This disease affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary movement, such as chewing, talking, and walking 
  • As the nerve cells begin to die, the body’s muscles will weaken and begin to waste away
  • The brain will eventually lose its ability to control these voluntary movements 
  • Early symptoms include:
    • Muscle twitches in the arms, legs, shoulders, or tongue
    • Muscle cramps
    • Muscle tightness or stiffness
    • Muscle weakness
    • Slurred speech
    • Trouble chewing or swallowing
  • Later symptoms include:
    • Loss of ability to walk, stand, and use arms or legs
    • Trouble speaking or forming words
    • Difficulty breathing without assistance
    • Loss of weight and nutrients 
    • Anxiety and depression
  • Most cases of ALS are sporadic, meaning they have no clear cause
  • Many individuals develop the disease between the ages of 55-75
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