What are the 7 Stages of Dementia?

The 7 Stages of Dementia

Dementia is not a one-size-fits-all condition. It presents itself differently in each individual and progresses at different rates. Where some can stay in a state of mild decline for a long period of time, others seem to develop every symptom at once.

Understanding each stage can help make these transitions a little easier on you and your loved one

Stage 1: No impairment

Everyone starts at stage 1. There are no symptoms of cognitive impairment, mental function is normal.

Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline

This stage can vary between typical age-related memory problems that most seniors face (such as forgetting certain dates) or could include some of the beginning signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Some of the side effects that correspond with this stage include:

·         forgetting everyday phrases

·         forgetting the location of important objects (such as where your father left his keys)

Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline

Stage 3 is where symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s can become more noticeable to friends and family. This stage won’t have major impact on your loved one’s day-to-day life, but you may notice these signs:

·         Impaired work performance

·         Memory loss/forgetfulness

·         Verbal repetition

·         Poor organization and concentration

·         Trouble with complex tasks/problem solving

·         Difficulty driving

Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline

This stage is commonly defined as early on set Alzheimer’s or dementia. Symptoms of cognitive decline are apparent and your loved one should be seeing a health care professional. Signs at this stage include:

·         Social withdrawal

·         Moodiness

·         Non-responsive

·         Trouble with routine tasks

·         Denial

Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline

Stage 5 is when your loved one is likely to need help with routine tasks like dressing or bathing, requiring a home caregiver or a move to a memory care community. Other symptoms include:

·         Confusion/forgetfulness

·         Memory loss of personal details and current events

·         Reduced mental acuity and problem-solving capacity

Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline

Also known as middle dementia or moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease, this stage will find your loved one requiring help for Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) such as using the bathroom or eating. Your loved one may also experience difficulty sleeping, increased paranoia or delusions, anxiety, and difficulty recognizing loved ones.

Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline

Stage 7 is severe Alzheimer’s disease or late-stage dementia. Your loved one is unable to care for themselves, lives with severe motor and communication impairment, and may lose the ability to speak or walk.

Neuroinfectious Diseases

Neuroinfectious diseases affect the nervous system, from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and nerves.

There are a wide range of neuroinfectious diseases, including:

• Meningitis and encephalitis, in which inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord caused by bacterial or viral infection may lead to disability or death.
• Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, a viral infection that can lead to loss of coordination, language ability and memory.
• HIV-associated neurodegeneration, a dementia induced by HIV infection despite successful antiretroviral therapy.
• Neurosarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease of the nervous system marked by facial weakness and headache that may lead to a chronic condition.
• HTLV 1 myelopathy hereditary spastic paraparesis, a progressive disease of the spinal cord resulting in painfully stiff, weak legs.
• Transverse myelitis, an inflammation of both sides of the spinal cord that can cause pain, weakness, paralysis, sensory problems, or bladder and bowel dysfunction.

Treatments for these diseases may include antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory or anticonvulsive medicines, among other approaches.

Treatments in this area are complex and evolving. There are currently no cures.

Mysteries of Disease that Need to be Solved

How can we minimize the global burden of disability from neurological manifestations of infectious diseases?

Can we develop therapies for neuro-invasive viruses?

Can we improve diagnostics and laboratory science by using molecular diagnostics and serum DNA analysis for diagnosis of infectious disease?

What is Neurogenomics?

Neurogenomics is study that of how the genome of an organism influences the function of its nervous system and development. This field intends to unite neurobiology and functional genomics in order to understand the nervous system as a whole from a genomic perspective.

The nervous system in vertebrates is majorly made up of two types of cells – neuroglial cells and neurons. Hundreds of different types of neurons exist in humans, with varying functions – some of them process external stimuli; others generate a response to stimuli; others organize in centralized structures (brain, spinal ganglia) that are responsible for cognition, perception, and regulation of motor functions. Neurons in these centralized locations tend to organize in giant networks and communicate extensively with each other. Prior to the availability of expression arrays and DNA sequencing methodologies, researchers sought to understand the cellular behaviour of neurons (including synapse formation and neuronal development and regionalization in the human nervous system) in terms of the underlying molecular biology and biochemistry, without any understanding of the influence of a neuron's genome on its development and behaviour.

As our understanding of the genome has expanded, the role of networks of gene interactions in the maintenance of neuronal function and behaviour has garnered interest in the neuroscience research community. Neurogenomics allows scientists to study the nervous system of organisms in the context of these underlying regulatory and transcriptional networks. This approach is distinct from neurogenetics, which emphasizes the role of single genes without a network-interaction context when studying the nervous system