Dementia Dictionary

agnosia: Difficulty recognizing familiar shapes, sounds, objects, people, and smells.

akinesia: Difficulty with beginning and continuing movement.

Alzheimer's Disease: A form of dementia in which brain cells are slowly destroyed, leading to memory loss and an impaired ability to learn, communicate, and reason.

anticoagulants: A drug that thins the blood by keeping it from clotting.

anticonvulsants: A drug that works to reduce the number and severity of seizures in a patient.

antidepressants: A drug that regulates and improves mood, helping to prevent depression, improve concentration, and aid in sleeping.

aphasia: Difficulty speaking or writing.

apraxia: Difficulty with carrying out learned actions or movements.

atherosclerosis: The hardening and thickening of arteries, caused by the buildup of deposits of fats, cholesterol, and cell waste products along the lining of arteries.

brain embolism: An blockage in the blood vessels of the brain, caused by an object that moves from another part of the body.

central nervous system (CNS): The brain and spinal cord.

cerebral cortex: The area of the brain responsible for memory, conscious thought and awareness, language, and attention.

chorea: A disorder in which voluntary movements are abnormal, with irregular muscle contractions that move between muscles. Chorea is a primary symptom of Huntington’s Disease.

coma: A prolonged state of unconsciousness where the patient cannot move or be awakened.

corticobasal degeneration: The progressive loss of nerve cells in multiple areas of the brain.

Creuztfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): A degenerative disease believed to be caused by the buildup of misfolded proteins (called prions) in the brain.

delirium: A rapid deterioration of mental function into a state of mental confusion, this is often a symptom of dementia.

dementia: A group of mental disorders characterized by problems with two or more brain functions. Dementia can be caused by Alzheimer’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and strokes, among other things.

dementia pugilistica: Dementia brought on by repeated instances of trauma to the head.

dura mater: The tough outermost layer of the meninges that surrounds and helps to protect the central nervous system. Subdural hematomas occur when blood accumulates between the dura mater and the middle layer of the meninges (the arachnoid mater).

electroencephalogram (EEG): A test used to monitor patterns of electrical activity in the brain and help diagnose mental disorders.