Love Your Brain

A Glance on Dementia
R.A.N.D.Ranaweera
BSc. Nursing (Hon)
(Reading MScN)
Session Outline
• Identify what is Dementia
• Identify global and local context of Dementia
• Determine varieties of Dementia
• Identify the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Identify signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Understand how to protect your loved ones from Dementia
• Understand risk Factors of Dementia
What is Dementia
A syndrome due to disease of the brain, usually chronic or progressive
nature, which there is a disturbance of multiple higher cortical
functions
- Memory
- Thinking
- Orientation
- Comprehension
- Calculation
- Learning Capacity
- Language
- Judgement (WHO ICD 10, 2010)
Global & Local Statistics
• It is reported that there are over 50 million cases of Dementia
• 60% of the cases are reported from low- middle income countries
• For each 4 seconds there is an identification of a new case
• Unfortunately, only 10% of the victims of Dementia are diagnosed in
countries with a low-middle income
• 50% of the cases were diagnosed in countries with a high income
• By 2050 it is believed to be 152 million
• A survey done on semi-urban area of Sri Lanka has found that the
prevalence of Dementia as 3.98% (95% CI 2.6 -5.7) among aged
=/>65 years (,Silva et al, 2003)
• Sri Lankan 15-64 aged population, 14.5 million (CBR, 2019)
Varieties of Dementia
• Alzheimer’s Disease (50%-70%) - (Senil Dementia)
• Vascular Dementia (Ischemic stroke / Hemorrhagic Stroke) (25%-30%)
• Dementia with Lewy Bodies (Microscopic protein clumps) (15%-20%)
• Parkinson Disease Dementia ( occurs with Parkinson disease )
• Frontotemporal Dementia
• Mixed Dementia
• Huntington’s Disease
• Creutzeldt –Jakob’s Disease
• Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Change in the Cerebral Anatomy
Change in the Cerebral Anatomy
Pathophysiology – Alzheimer’s Diseasse
• Could be Sporadic (Age -65) or Familial (Gene Mutation)

• Beta Amyloid plaques formation

• Neuro Fibrilatory Tangles
• Neuronal cell death
Pathophysiology – Alzheimer’s Disease
Risk Factors of Dementia
• Aging
• Strong family history
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Head injury
• Risk factors for heart disease –HTN , DM
• Smoking
• Obesity Modifiable Risk
• Depression Factors
• Low educational attainment
• Social Isolation
• Air Pollution
• Hearing Impairment
How to support your patient at Home?
• Empathy and Understanding
• Nutrition and Hydration – might stop recognizing Hunger and Thirst
• Supporting in ADL – Day to day activities support , Wheel chair
support for immobilize patient, Passive exercises –skin integrity
maintenance, active and reduce comorbidities, Fall Risk
• Communication – lose of confidence, social withdrawal – Speak
slowly, simple terms, Non-verbal communication - Behavior and Body
Language, Careful Listening, Asking close ended questions
• Independence and Decision making – protect the dignity, do things
together
• Emotions and Feelings – understand less control over emotions
Do You Love Your Brain?
How to reduce the risk
• Be physically active
• Follow a healthy diet
• Promote good brain health (challenge your brain)
• Keeping the heart healthy

********
Playing musical Instruments and speaking multiple languages make
you less prominent for Alzheimer disease
References

Annual Report,(2019) Key Social Indexes, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

De Silva HA, Gunatilake SB, Smith AD. Prevalence of dementia in a semi-
urban population in Sri Lanka: report from a regional survey. Int J
Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003;18(8):711-715. doi:10.1002/gps.909
Williams PA, (2015) Basic geriatric Nursing, Elsevier Health Sciences,6
World Health Organization, Dementia,Geneva, World Health
Organization, 2019
 Thank You !
Any Questions ?