Describe the Type of Memory Loss

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1.2 Describe the types of memory impairment commonly experienced by individuals with dementia. Memory problems are usually the most obvious symptom in people with dementia. For example, a person with early stages of dementia might go to the shops and then cannot remember what they wanted. It is also common to misplace objects. As dementia progresses, sometimes memory loss for recent events is severe and the person may appear to be living in the past. They may think of themselves as young and not recognise their true age. At first, someone with dementia may appear to be easily irritated or moody. More challenging behaviour may develop in some people over time. For example, in some cases, a person with dementia may become quite disinhibited. This means that he or she may say or do things quite out of character. Some people with dementia can also become agitated or even agressive and this may be directed towards their carers. They may become suspicious or fearful of others and, in some people, delusions (abnormal beliefs) and hallucinations (a false perception of something that is not really there) can occur. Alzheimer’s disease- plaques and tangles tend to form in the areas of the brain which are responsible for memory, but as the dementia progresses they start to spread to other brain regions leading to additional problems with thinking, reasoning and language. The most common cognitive symptom of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease is memory dysfunction; an individual may find it difficult to remember recently experienced information. For example, after a short delay of a couple of minutes an individual may be unable to remember the details of a conversation they have just had. In addition, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease often have problems planning and organising their activities, processing visuospatial information in their environment and recognising family and friends, particularly in the later stages. Common symptoms of Vascular dementia include...
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