DementiaSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Dementia
Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects one or more brain functions such as memory, thinking, language, judgment, or behavior. Dementia may also be referred to as major neurocognitive disorder.
Lewy body dementia; DLB; Vascular dementia; Mild cognitive impairment; MCI; Alzheimer disease - dementia
Dementia usually occurs in older age. Most types are rare in people under age 60. The risk of dementia increases as a person gets older.
Most types of dementia are nonreversible and degenerative. Nonreversible means the changes in the brain that are causing the dementia cannot be stopped or turned back. Alzheimer disease is the most common type of dementia.
Another common type of dementia is vascular dementia. It is caused by poor blood flow to the brain, such as with a stroke.
Lewy body disease is another cause of dementia in older adults. People with this condition have abnormal protein structures in certain areas of the brain. Any condition that results in injury to the brain can cause dementia.
The following medical conditions can also lead to dementia:
- Huntington disease
- Brain injury
- Frontotemporal degeneration (Pick disease)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Infections such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and Lyme disease
- Parkinson disease
- Progressive supranuclear palsy
- Excess alcohol use
- Brain trauma
Some causes of dementia, such as those due to abnormal chemical processes in the body, may be stopped or reversed if they are found soon enough, including:
- Brain injury
- Brain tumors
- Long-term (chronic) alcohol abuse
- Changes in blood sugar, sodium, calcium, and thyroid hormone levels
- Low vitamin B12 level
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus
- Use of certain medicines, including cimetidine
- Some brain infections
Dementia symptoms include difficulty with many areas of mental function, including:
- Emotional behavior or personality
- Language
- Memory
- Perception
- Thinking and judgment (cognitive skills)
Dementia usually first appears as forgetfulness.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition in which a person has more memory and thinking problems than other people their age. People with MCI have mild problems with thinking and memory that do not interfere with daily activities. They often know about their forgetfulness. Not everyone with MCI develops dementia.
Symptoms of MCI include:
- Difficulty doing more than one task at a time
- Difficulty solving problems or making decisions
- Forgetting names of familiar people, recent events, or conversations
- Taking longer to do more difficult mental activities
Early symptoms of dementia can include:
- Difficulty with tasks that take some thought, but that used to come easily, such as balancing a checkbook, playing games (such as bridge), and learning new information or routines
- Getting lost on familiar routes
- Language problems, such as trouble with the names of familiar objects
- Losing interest in things previously enjoyed, flat mood
- Misplacing items
- Personality changes and loss of social skills, which can lead to inappropriate behaviors
- Mood changes leading to aggressive behavior
- Poor performance of job duties
As dementia becomes worse, symptoms are more obvious and interfere with the ability to take care of oneself. Symptoms may include:
- Changing sleep patterns, often waking up at night
- Difficulty with basic tasks, such as preparing meals, choosing proper clothing, or driving
- Forgetting details about current events
- Wandering and getting lost
- Forgetting events in one's own life history, or losing self-awareness
- Having hallucinations, arguments, striking out, and violent behavior
- Having delusions, depression, and agitation
- More difficulty reading or writing
- Poor judgment and loss of ability to recognize danger
- Using the wrong word, not pronouncing words correctly, speaking in confusing sentences
- Withdrawing from social contact
People with severe dementia can no longer:
- Perform basic activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, and bathing
- Recognize family members
- Understand language
Other symptoms that may occur with dementia:
- Problems controlling bowel movements or urine
- Swallowing problems
The treatment depends on the condition causing the dementia. Some people may need to stay in the hospital for a short time.
Sometimes, medicines given for any condition, including dementia, can make a person's confusion worse. Stopping or changing these medicines is part of the treatment.
Certain mental exercises can help with dementia.
Treating conditions that can lead to dementia symptoms often greatly improve mental function. Such conditions include:
- Anemia
- Decreased blood oxygen (hypoxia)
- Depression
- Heart failure
- Infections
- Nutritional disorders
- Thyroid disorders
Medicines may be used to:
- Slow the rate at which symptoms get worse, though improvement with these medicines may be small
- Control problems with behavior, such as loss of judgment or confusion
Newer treatments can reduce levels of amyloid in the brains of people with Alzheimer disease. This can slow the progression of the disease in some people, especially if treated early. These treatments also have serious side effects. Ask your provider if these medicines may be right for you.
Someone with dementia will need support in the home as the condition gets worse. Family members or other caregivers can assist by helping the person cope with memory loss and behavior and sleep problems. It is important to make sure the homes of people who have dementia are safe for them.
Brigham And Women's Hospital, Neurosciences Center
Reisa Sperling is a Neurologist practicing medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Sperling is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dementia. She is also highly rated in 9 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Memory Loss, Primary Amyloidosis, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
UPMC Department Of Neurology
Tharick Pascoal, MD, Ph.D., is a neurologist and assistant professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Pascoal’s clinical and research interests include cognitive disorders of multiple etiologies, including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. He has published several research papers in peer-reviewed journals which can be found here. Dr. Pascoal is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dementia. He is also highly rated in 7 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Movement Disorders, and Primary Amyloidosis. Dr. Pascoal is currently accepting new patients.
Emory Brain Health Center
Allan Levey is a Neurologist practicing medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been practicing medicine for over 42 years. Dr. Levey is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dementia. He is also highly rated in 14 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Movement Disorders, and Parkinson's Disease. Dr. Levey is board certified in American Board Of Psychiatry And Neurology, 1990.
People with MCI do not always develop dementia. When dementia does occur, it usually gets worse over time. Dementia often decreases quality of life and lifespan. Families will likely need to plan for their loved one's future care. The prognosis depends on the underlying cause. Some dementias rapidly progress to death while others can take years to get worse.
Contact your provider if:
- Dementia symptoms develop or a sudden change in mental status occurs
- The condition of a person with dementia gets worse
- You are unable to care for a person with dementia at home
Most causes of dementia are not preventable.
The risk of vascular dementia may be reduced by preventing strokes through:
- Eating healthy foods
- Exercising
- Quitting smoking
- Controlling high blood pressure
- Managing diabetes
Background: About 5 million adults in the United States have age-related brain disorders. These include Alzheimer disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and other dementias. The number of people with these disorders will likely increase as the population ages and life span increases. Inflammation is thought to play a role in AD and MCI. Researchers want to know if an enzyme called PDE4B increases infl...
Summary: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by significant memory loss, toxic protein deposits (amyloid and tau) in the brain, and changes in the gamma frequency band on EEG. Gamma waves are important for memory, and in patients with AD, there are fewer gamma waves in the brain. The Tsai lab found that boosting gamma waves in AD mouse models using light and sound stimulation at 40Hz not only reduced...
Published Date: January 27, 2026
Published By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School at Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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National Institute on Aging website. How is Alzheimer's disease treated? www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-treatment/how-alzheimers-disease-treated. Updated September 12, 2023. Accessed March 10, 2026.
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Peterson R, Graff-Radford J. Alzheimer disease and other dementias. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 95.