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Dementing illnesses are typically categorized as irreversible
or treatable. The degree to which a particular dementia can
be treated varies. The incidence of treatable/reversible dementias
is estimated at between 5-20%. The variation maybe due to
some disorders which are treatable to a smaller degree being
included on some lists but not on others. Also the boundaries
between treatable and untreatable are shifting as new drugs
emerge offering the hope of even temporary delay of progress
or even the potential reversal of symptoms for a period of
time.
Irreversible dementias are generally progressive, but the
rate at which they worsen (progress) will vary by specific
cause and the individual.
Those causes that are either wholly treatable (reversible)
or partially treatable are:
Delirium -- a condition resulting from a specific temporary
conditions such as fever, infection and so on.
Brain tumors that can be removed
Chronic drug use or alcohol use -- leading to Korsakoff’s Syndrome or vitamin
B1 deficiency.
Subdural hematomaan -- an accumulation of blood beneath the
outer covering of the brain that results from a broken blood
vessel, usually as a result of a head injury.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Metabolic disorders -- such as a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Hypothyroidism -- a condition that results from low levels
of thyroid secretion.
Hypoglycemia -- a condition that results from low blood sugar.
Depression
Non-treatable* causes of dementia include:
Degenerative neurological diseases -- such as Alzheimer's,
Lewy Body dementia, Parkinson's and Huntington's.
Vascular disorders -- such as multi-infarct dementia (TIA), which
is caused by multiple small strokes in the brain (includes Binswanger’s
disease).
Infections that affect the central nervous system -- such
as HIV dementia complex and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Frontal lobe dementia -- such as Pick’s disease (normally
an early onset disorder).
AIDS dementia complex
Certain types of hydrocephalus -- an accumulation of fluid
in the brain that can result from developmental abnormalities,
infections, injury, or brain tumors.
*The idea of untreatable and irreversible is shifting slowly
as new medications increase the options available for people
with Alzheimer’s, strokes, etc. Our Newsletter
will help you keep up-to-date with the latest drug and treatment
information.
When the Questions are too BIG and the Answers
too small call the ALZCARE People: 1-866-ALZCARE
(1-866-259-2273)
