Dementia is life changing.
Brain deterioration frequently causes personality, behavioral, psychological, and emotional changes, which can be referred to as "Behavioral & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia" (BPSD).
These symptoms include:
Anxiety, Delusion, Depression, Apathy, Agitation, Irritability, Hallucinations.
These symptoms can often be more frustrating and challenging to deal with than the actual cognitive impairment, especially for the caretakers of dementia patients.
Current Treatment Issues: BPSD
About 95% of patients have at least mild symptoms, most commonly apathy (83%) and depression (63%). Approved treatments do not exist for non-cognitive manifestations in the setting of dementia.
Ineffective
Atypical antipsychotics No proven sustained benefit.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors May improve symptoms of depression but do not improves symptoms of agitation, aggression or psychosis.
Side Effects
Seizures, chest pain or discomfort, fainting, irregular or slow heart rate, tightness in the chest, difficulty in breathing, insomnia, agitation, somnolence, indigestion, diarrhea or constipation, dizziness, headaches, low sex drive.
Cognitive Decline
A person with dementia will have cognitive symptoms, generally due to neurodegeneration or impairment in neuroplasticity in the hippocampus or prefrontal cortex.
Memory Recall
Individuals might have difficulty recalling events that happened recently, misplacing things or putting them in inappropriate places.
Speach Disturbances
Individuals might have difficulties following a conversation or finding the right word for something.
Visuospatial Skills
Individuals might have problems judging distances and seeing objects in three dimensions, losing track of the day or date or becoming confused about where they are.
