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Uncovering the mystery of dementia praecox: How is it different from Alzheimer's disease?
Dementia praecox refers to dementia symptoms that appear before the age of 65. This condition is a growing concern globally because the number of patients with dementia praecox is increasing year by year. This disorder involves a group of conditions characterized by progressive cognitive decline, particularly changes in executive functions, learning, language, memory, or behavior. Depending on the cause, dementia praecox may be caused by degenerative, autoimmune, or infectious processes.
At present, the most common form of early-onset dementia is Alzheimer's disease, followed by frontal lobe dementia and vascular dementia, of which Alzheimer's disease accounts for 40% to 50% of cases.
Compared to late-onset dementia, early-onset dementia is relatively rare, accounting for approximately 10% of dementia cases worldwide. The latest research shows that there are about 3.55 million people aged 30 to 64 with early-onset dementia today, and this number may triple by 2050. There is no significant difference in the incidence of dementia praecox with gender, with a ratio of approximately 1:1 between men and women.
Risk factors
Some traditional risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, are also considered potential risk factors for dementia praecox. In addition, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases have also been linked to the development of dementia praecox. The presence of more chronic diseases is more likely to indicate the development of dementia praecox.
Research shows that early-onset dementia is more strongly associated with low socioeconomic status than late-onset dementia, raising more concerns among social health issues.
Diagnostic Challenges
The diagnosis of early-onset dementia often faces challenges due to differences in symptoms. Compared with late-onset dementia, the average diagnosis time is 4.4 years, which is far ahead of 2.8 years. Clinically, diagnostic indicators include progressive unexplained neurological symptoms, new behavioral changes, and patients with a family history of dementia. The diagnostic process typically includes a detailed medical history, neuroimaging, behavioral testing, and genetic testing.
The World Health Organization advocates the provision of rehabilitation services, including cognitive, psychological, physical and social support, to improve the quality of life of patients with dementia. However, services for dementia praecox are extremely scarce.
Disease process and prognosis
Compared with late-onset dementia, patients with early-onset dementia are more likely to develop non-Alzheimer's disease types of dementia, and their disease progresses faster and is accompanied by significant neurological damage. The average survival time for dementia praecox is approximately 6 to 10 years after diagnosis, but the prognosis of different types of dementia varies significantly.
Existing research and data point out that the most common direct cause of death in patients with dementia praecox is respiratory disease, followed by cardiovascular events and cerebrovascular disease.
As the number of cases of dementia praecox increases, society's understanding of the disease must increase, particularly in terms of its impact on patients and families. Overall, understanding the different forms of dementia praecox and its unique properties is critical to providing effective clinical support and care. Does this make us think about how we can better support people with dementia praecox and their families, and manage their needs and futures?
