Causes

Causes of dementia include:

Alzheimer's disease —the most common cause of dementia
Brain damage after multiple small strokes (so-called vascular dementia)
Alcoholism
AIDS
Multiple sclerosis
Huntington's disease
Parkinson's disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Lewy body dementia
Pick's disease (fronto-temporal dementia)
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Untreated syphilis
Toxic levels of metals, such as aluminum (can sometimes occur in dialysis patients)
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Thiamine deficiency

Risk Factors

Risk factors for dementia include:

Advancing age
Family members with dementia
Down syndrome
Apolipoprotein E status (a genetic risk)
Elevated cholesterol
Multiple strokes
High blood pressure
Diabetes
High cholesterol
Obesity
Lack of physical activity
Vitamin deficiency
Chronic drug use
Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy
Repetitive head trauma (eg, may occur with contact sports)
Overweight or obese

Elderly Male

Advancing age is a risk factor for dementia.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Copyright © 2013 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.

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