Dementia Syndrome

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Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

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The term dementia syndrome (or dementia syndrome) is often used synonymously with dementia. It marks a general intellectual degradation. A dementia syndrome usually manifests itself in the form of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or a mixture of these. However, it can also occur with brain inflammation, other brain breakdown diseases (such as multiple sclerosis) and chronic alcohol abuse. Read more about dementia syndrome!

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. F03F02F01G31F00G30

What is dementia syndrome?

The term dementia syndrome (also called chronic organic brain psychosyndrome) stands for a general intellectual decline. This usually begins with memory and orientation disorders as well as affective (emotional) impairments. In the further course, the personality of the patient can change significantly.

Neurological failures also accompany a dementia syndrome, namely so-called tool disorders. These are disorders of "higher" brain performance caused by the central nervous system, for example language disorders, disorders of recognizing familiar objects (such as bananas), inability to write, read, calculate or carry out actions in a coordinated manner.

Pseudodementia

Pseudo-dementia is the term used by doctors to describe brain disorders that occur temporarily and are simulated by inhibition of thought and drive.

Depressive pseudo-dementia is the most common form of pseudo-dementia. It can occur in severe depression. Depressive pseudodementia is often not easy to distinguish from the onset of dementia (such as Alzheimer's) or the joint occurrence of dementia and depression. Often, doctors can only make the correct diagnosis after long and careful observation of the patient.

As a rule, the depressive pseudodementia disappears if the depression is treated properly (with medication and non-medication measures).

Dementia syndrome: Alzheimer's, alcohol, AIDS

The most common form of dementia syndrome is Alzheimer's disease (DAT). Vascular dementia and mixed dementia (especially mixed forms of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia) are also widespread. Other forms are, for example, Pick's disease (Pick's disease or frontotemporal dementia) and Lewy body dementia.

Dementia syndrome can also be the result of inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or traumatic brain damage. The latter is the cause of what is known as "boxer dementia" (caused by repeated minor brain trauma, such as that boxer can suffer from blows to the head).

Other brain breakdown diseases can also result in dementia syndrome. These include, for example, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease (in the latter case one speaks of Parkinson's dementia).

There is also a condition known as AIDS dementia (primary HIV encephalopathy): It is the most common complication in the brain when infected with HIV.

Other diseases, some of which are treatable, can also be associated with dementia syndrome. These include metabolic and hormonal disorders (such as hypothyroidism), deficiencies in certain vitamins (B12, B1, niacin), tumors and forms of hydrocephalus communicans.

In many cases, chronic alcohol abuse is also the trigger for dementia symptoms. Those affected often fill the resulting memory gaps with invented content (Korsakoff syndrome).

Apart from alcoholism, other chronic intoxications (e.g. with medication, drugs, solvents) can cause a dementia syndrome.

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