Dementia is a condition where the brain slowly loses its ability to work properly, affecting memory, thinking, and daily tasks. It is not one single disease but a group of symptoms caused by damage to brain cells, often getting worse over time.[1][2][3]
Think of the brain as a busy network of cells sending messages to help you remember things, make decisions, and handle everyday life. In dementia, these cells die or their connections break down, leading to problems like forgetting recent events, struggling to find words, or getting confused about time and place.[2][3] The most common type is Alzheimer’s disease, where sticky proteins build up on brain cells and tangle inside them, causing the brain to shrink.[4]
Dementia often starts in small, subtle ways that might seem like normal aging at first. Many people notice early signs during a stage called mild cognitive impairment, or MCI. This is when memory slips or thinking slows a bit more than usual, like forgetting appointments or having trouble planning a simple meal, but daily life still goes on mostly okay.[2][6] Family members might spot it first, such as when someone repeats questions or loses track of bills. At this point, brain scans could show early changes, like shrinking in the hippocampus, the part that handles memories.[2]
From there, it progresses. In early dementia, people might forget recent conversations, get lost in familiar places, or withdraw from friends because tasks feel overwhelming.[2][3] Mood changes or personality shifts can happen too, like becoming more anxious or less interested in hobbies.[2] Causes vary: Alzheimer’s builds up plaques and tangles over years, vascular dementia comes from blocked blood flow to the brain like mini-strokes, and others like Lewy body dementia affect movement and vision.[3][4] Things like heavy alcohol use over time can also damage the brain and raise dementia risk.[7]
Doctors diagnose it through tests of memory and thinking, plus brain imaging, once symptoms interfere with routine activities.[1][2] While there is no cure, early notice helps manage it with lifestyle changes, medicines, or support.[4]
Sources
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dementia
https://kitesseniorcare.com/articles/understanding-dementia-stages-a-medical-guide-for-families/
https://www.britannica.com/science/dementia
https://www.dementia.org.au/about-dementia/alzheimers-disease-everything-you-need-know
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/dementia
https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/types-of-dementia/mild-cognitive-impairment/
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/types-dementia/alcohol-related-dementia
