Abstract Thinking Loss in Dementia
Abstract thinking means understanding ideas that are not right in front of you, like figuring out what numbers mean in a checkbook or planning steps for a task. In dementia, this skill often fades early, making everyday choices hard. People with dementia might stare at bills and not grasp how much money they have left, even if they handled finances well before.
This problem shows up in common types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Someone who used to balance their accounts might forget what the numbers stand for or what to do with them. It goes beyond simple math errors; they lose the big-picture sense of concepts like value or sequence. In vascular dementia, which comes from blood flow issues in the brain, abstract thinking suffers too, with more trouble in organizing thoughts or judging distances.
Semantic dementia hits this skill differently. It damages the brain’s store of meanings, so patients struggle to link words or pictures to ideas. They might not match related objects or understand word concepts, leading to confusion in non-literal thinking. Brain scans show shrinkage in the front parts of the temporal lobes, where these connections live, along with changes in white matter paths that link thinking areas.
Early signs mix with other dementia clues, like memory slips or getting lost in familiar spots. A person might skip steps in cooking or misjudge risks, such as leaving a child alone without realizing the danger. Personality shifts can follow, with less interest in hobbies or sudden mood changes.
Doctors spot this through talks and tests that check planning or concept grasp. While no cure exists, spotting it early helps with support like simple aids for money tasks or safe routines. Different dementias need different checks, as some like Lewy body dementia add hallucinations.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_dementia
https://australiancarersguide.com.au/myths-of-warning-signs-of-dementia/
https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/altc/content/diagnosis-and-management-dementia-long-term-care
https://www.adakc.org/about-alzheimers/
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.70847
https://www.njstatelib.org/10-warning-signs-of-alzheimers-program-recap-2/
https://nyneurologists.com/services/memory-problems
https://qualcarenursing.com/recognizing-symptoms-of-dementia/
