Dementia Health Center

Dementia can be caused by a number of conditions and diseases. Some of the diseases that can cause symptoms of dementia are:

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Vascular dementia
  • Lewy body dementia
  • Frontotemporal dementia
  • Huntington’s disease
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease 

The most common causes in elderly people are Alzheimer's disease and Vascular dementia. Doctors have identified other conditions that can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms including:

  • Reactions to medications
  • Metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Infections
  • Poisoning
  • Brain tumors
  • Anoxia
  • Hypoxia (conditions in which the brain’s oxygen supply is either reduced or cut off entirely)
  • Heart and lung problems.

Although it is common in very elderly individuals, dementia is not a normal part of the aging process. Dementia is rare in individuals under 60, but risk increases as individuals increase in age.  

Reviewed by: 
Review Date: 
March 13, 2012
Last Updated:
June 28, 2013
Source:
dailyrx.com