Proper diagnosis is very much needed for Dementia treatment

Dementia is a serious loss of global cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging. It might be static, the result of a unique global brain injury, or progressive, resulting in long-term loss due to damage or disease in the body. Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population, it can occur before the age of 65, in which case it is termed "early onset dementia".

Dementia is not merely a disease, but rather a non-specific illness syndrome (i.e., set of signs and symptoms) in which affected areas of cognition may be memory, attention, language, and problem solving. It is normally required to be present for at least 6 months to be diagnosed; cognitive dysfunction that has been seen only over shorter times, in particular less than week must be termed delirium. In all kinds of general cognitive dysfunction, higher mental functions are affected first in the process.

I have met many people suffering from dementia who are not satisfied with their dementia treatment. The reason behind the treatment failure is lack of right assessment. Mental health experts use a range of tools to identify the symptoms of dementia. More often, it is the family member that has concerns about memory lapses that brings them to mental health support centre.

The most important thing is to understand that every test has its strengths and its weaknesses. There are many times when I have had a family member call me upset that aging senior passed the test with flying colors. They were in the normal range. Yes, it does happen.

The most crucial step to the right dementia treatment is the detailed assessment of the history. It is highly important that a family member spares time to share with the health care providers any dementia like symptoms they feel they may have observed so that these may be taken into consideration as well. There are numerous diagnostic tests that can be done such as CAT scans, Magnetic resonance imaging or PET scans that may identify or rule out areas of the brain that may be causes of different types of dementia.

Cognitive function tests should never be used at first as a standalone diagnostic test as they do not provide the health care providers a detailed picture for an accurate diagnosis. There are different cognitive function tests that are largely used and can even be taken in the comfort of your own home.