Terms and Acronyms
Acetylcholine: A key chemical in neurons (nerve cells) that acts as a neurotransmitter and carries information across the synaptic cleft, the space between two nerve cells.
Acetyl Cholinesterase Inhibitors: Drugs that prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine. Some of these drugs include rivastigmine, donepezil and galantamine.
Acquired: Anything that is not present at birth but develops some time later. In medicine, the word "acquired" implies "new" or "added."
Admiral Nurse: Admiral Nurses are skilled and experienced nurses who specialise indementia. They understand the difficulties facing people who look after a friend or relative with memory problems, and provide a free service for family carers.
Advocate: An advocate is someone who helps people express their point of view in difficult situations where they might feel vulnerable or overwhelmed. There is specialist advocacy support for mental health service users.
Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environmentally modulated.
Agnosia: is a loss of ability to recognize objects, persons, sounds, shapes, or smells while the specific sense is not defective nor is there any significant memory loss.
Agraphia: The inability to write but does not result from visual, motor or intellectual deficits.
Alcoholism: Physical dependence on alcohol to the extent that stopping alcohol use will bring on withdrawal symptoms.
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to Top Alcohol Related Dementia:
Korsakoff's syndrome is a brain disorder usually associated with heavy alcohol
consumption over a long period. See also Wernicke's encephalopathy Alexander Disease:
A slowly progressive and ultimately fatal brain disorder that most commonly
occurs in children. Alexia: The inability
to read but does not result from visual, motor or intellectual deficits Alzheimer's Disease:
A progressive neurologic disease of the brain that leads to the irreversible
loss of neurons and dementia. The clinical hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease
are progressive impairment in memory, judgment, decision making, orientation
to physical surroundings, and language. Alzheimer’s Café:
A registered name for a special type of inclusive café developed
by Dr. Bère Miesen, Clinical Old Age psychologist, in the Netherlands.
Alzheimer’s cafés are growing in this country, they follow
a regular pattern, encourage full participation by the person who has dementia
and their family and also attracts local professionals who attend to give
advice. Amyloid Plaque:
One of the protein deposits associated with Alzheimer's disease. Anosmia: The
inability to smell. Anoxia: The
absence, or near absence of oxygen. Sometimes when a person is anoxic they
may appear to be quite confused. Antidepressants: Medication
used to prevent or treat depression. Antipsychotic: Medication
used to treat psychosis. Antipsychotic medication is sometimes used inappropriately
to address distressed behaviours of a person who dementia. Anxiety: A feeling
of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms such as palpitations,
sweating, and feelings of stress. Aphagia:
The complete cessation of eating Aphasia:
One in a group of speech disorders in which there is a defect or loss of
the power of expression by speech, writing, or signs, or a defect or loss
of the power of comprehension of spoken or written language. Approved Social Workers (ASW):
ASWs have specialist training, and are involved in assessing a person for
possible admission to hospital under the Mental Health Act, and have overall
responsibility for co-ordinating the process of assessment. Apraxia: The inability
to execute a voluntary motor movement despite being able to demonstrate
normal muscle function. Apraxia is not related to a lack of understanding
or to any kind of physical paralysis but is caused by a problem in the cortex
of the brain. Aricept: See Donepezil. Artery:
A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to
the farthest reaches of the body. Aspiration:
Removal of a sample of fluid and cells through a needle. Aspiration also
refers to the accidental sucking in of food particles or fluids into the
lungs. Assistive Technology:
Refers to devices and other technologies that can help to support and enable
people with dementia to live more independently. It may also help to support
and reassure their carers. An assistive technology device might be a sensor
by the bed to warn a carer that a person has risen from bed, or a GPS device
that can map where a person is when out of the house. Ataxia: Lack of ability
to coordinate. Unsteadiness due to the brain's failure to regulate the body's
posture and regulate the strength and direction of limb movements. Ataxia
is usually a consequence of disease in the brain, specifically in the cerebellum
which lies beneath the back part of the cerebrum. Atherosclerosis:
A process of progressive thickening and hardening of the walls of medium-sized
and large arteries as a result of fat deposits on their inner lining. Arthrosclerosis
is associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.
Atrophy: Wasting away,
shrinkage or diminution. Some degree of atrophy occurs naturally in the
brain as we age. An abnormal rate of atrophy in the brain is seen in people
who have dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. Brain: The organ that
functions as the primary receiver, organiser and distributor of information
for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres." Brain Haemorrhage: Bleeding
within the brain. CADASIL: Cerebral
Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy.
An inherited form of vascular dementia that strikes relatively young adults
of both sexes and is characterized by multiple strokes, dementia, migraine-like
headaches, and psychiatric disturbances. Cardiovascular: The
circulatory system comprising the heart and blood vessels which carries
nutrients and oxygen to the tissues of the body and removes carbon dioxide
and other wastes from them. Carotid: Pertaining
to the carotid artery and the area near that key artery located in the front
of the neck though which blood from the heart goes to the brain. Cerebral Cortex: A
thin layer of grey matter covering the surface of each cerebral hemisphere.
The cerebral cortex is responsible for the processes of thought, perception
and memory and serves as the seat of advanced motor function, social abilities,
language, and problem solving. Cognition: The process
of knowing and, more precisely, the process of being aware, knowing, thinking,
learning and judging. Cognitive: Pertaining
to cognition, the process of knowing and the process of being aware, knowing,
thinking, learning and judging. CT Scan or CAT Scan: Computed
tomography. An x-ray procedure that uses the help of a computer to produce
a detailed picture of a cross section of the body. Dehydration:
Excessive loss of body water. A person who has dementia may become dehydrated
because they no longer make a connection between thirst and what to do to
satiate thirst. They may forget to drink. They may need prompting (cueing
or mirroring) in order to drink. A person who is dehydrated can quickly
become very confused. Delirium:
Delirium is a state of mental confusion that can happen if a person becomes
medically unwell. It is also known as an 'acute confusional state'. Medical
problems, surgery and medications can all cause delirium. It often starts
suddenly, but usually lifts when the condition causing it gets better. It
can be frightening – not only for the person who is unwell, but also
for those around him or her. Dementia:
A syndrome due to disease of the brain…of a progressive nature, in
which there is disturbance of memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension,
calculation, learning capability, language, and judgement’. (World
Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases). Dementia Care Mapping (DCM):
An observational method developed by Bradford University’s Dementia
Services Development Centre. It involves a combination of empathy and observation
to see the world from the point of view of the person with dementia and
can reflect, particularly to care staff, what effect their own behaviour
can have on the well – or ill – being of the person who has
dementia. DENDRON: The Dementias
and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network is part of the National
Institute for Health Research and supports the development and delivery
of clinical research in the NHS in the dementias, Parkinson’s disease,
motor neurone disease, Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative
diseases. Depression: An illness
that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person
eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks
about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood.
It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished
away. People with a depressive disease cannot merely "pull themselves
together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for
weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people
with depression. DOLS: Deprivation
of Liberty Safeguards. These safeguards are part of the Mental Capacity
Act 2005. They exist to protect people who live in care homes or who are
in hospital from being inappropriately deprived of their liberty. Doll Therapy: Rising
in popularity, this is a method of meeting a person’s psychological
needs through using a doll (or similar soft object to hold) that the person
can hold and engage with. Donepezil:
A medication, marketed under the trade name Aricept, used in the treatment
of symptoms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Down’s Syndrome:
Down’s syndrome is a genetic disorder which affects a baby's normal
physical development and causes mild to moderate learning difficulties.
It is a lifelong condition that develops when a baby is still in the womb.
Children who are born with Down’s syndrome also have a higher chance
of developing other conditions, for example: congenital heart disease, sight
and hearing problems and Alzheimer’s disease. Dysphagia: Difficulty
in swallowing, swallowing problems. Dysphagia is due to problems in nerve
or muscle control. It is common, for example, after a stroke. Dysphagia
compromises nutrition and hydration and may lead to aspiration pneumonia
and dehydration. Early Onset Dementia:
see Younger people with dementia. EEG: Electroencephalogram,
a technique for studying the electrical current within the brain. Electrodes
are attached to the scalp. Wires attach these electrodes to a machine which
records the electrical impulses. The results are either printed out or displayed
on a computer screen. Encephalopathy: Disease,
damage, or malfunction of the brain. In general, encephalopathy is manifested
by an altered mental state that is sometimes accompanied by physical changes.
Although numerous causes of encephalopathy are known, the majority of cases
arise from infection, liver damage, anoxia, or kidney failure. Fronto-Temporal Dementia: The
frontal lobe of the brain, located behind the forehead, regulates the higher
intellectual functions. Often called the ‘executive’ part of
the brain, this area is responsible for the ability to plan and forecast,
to regulate behaviour, motivate a person and feel empathy. Fronto-temporal
dementia describes several conditions which particularly affect the frontal
lobe, such as Pick's disease, frontal lobe degeneration, and dementia associated
with motor neurone disease. High Blood Pressure:
Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is, by definition, a repeatedly
elevated blood pressure and is associated with increased risk of strokes. Hippocampus: An area
buried deep in the forebrain that helps regulate emotion and memory. Huntington’s Disease:
Huntington's disease is a progressive hereditary disease. The course of
the disease varies for each person, and dementia can occur at any stage
of the illness. Symptoms of dementia associated with Huntington's disease
include loss of short-term memory and deterioration of planning and organisational
skills. People with the disease usually lack insight into their condition
and other people's needs, and may be reluctant to accept help. They may
also develop obsessive behaviour. This form of dementia differs from Alzheimer's
disease in that those affected continue to recognise people and places. Incontinence:
Inability to control excretions. Urinary incontinence is inability to keep
urine in the bladder. Faecal incontinence is inability to retain faeces
in the rectum. Infarct: An
area of tissue death due to a local lack of oxygen. Infection: The growth
of a parasitic organism within the body. Korsakoff’s:
Korsakoff's syndrome is caused by lack of thiamine (vitamin B1), which affects
the brain and nervous system. Thiamine deficiency is often seen in people
who consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Lewy Body Dementia:
This form of dementia is caused by protein deposits – or Lewy bodies
- which occur in nerve cells. This condition shares characteristics with
Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. A person may have
fluctuating abilities, frequent falls and hallucinations. Long-Term Memory: A
system for permanently storing, managing, and retrieving information for
later use. Items of information stored as long-term memory may be available
for a lifetime. Low Blood Pressure:
Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individual in
a given environment. Low blood pressure is also referred to as hypotension. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
or MRI: A special radiology technique designed to image internal
structures of the body using magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce
the images of body structures. Memory: The ability
to recover information about past events or knowledge. Mild Cognitive Impairment or
MCI: A brain disorder in which thinking abilities are mildly impaired.
Individuals with mild cognitive impairment are able to function in everyday
activities but have difficulty with memory -- trouble remembering the names
of people they met recently, remembering the flow of a conversation, and
a tendency to misplace things. The individual may be aware of these difficulties
and compensate with increased reliance on notes and calendars. Mini Mental State Examination
(MMSE): The most commonly used test
for a person who has memory loss and when dementia is being considered.
It consists of a series of tests and questions for which the maximum score
is 30 points. Motor Neurone Disease:
A group of neurological diseases characterized by steadily progressive deterioration
of the motor neurons in the brain, brainstem and spinal cord that send instructions
in the form of electrical impulses to the muscles, leading to muscle weakness
and wasting. Multi-infarct Dementia:
Dementia brought on by a series of strokes. See Vascular dementia. Neurological: Having
to do with the nerves or the nervous system. Neuron:
A nerve cell that sends and receives electrical signals over long distances
within the body. Neurotransmitter:
A chemical that is released from a nerve cell which thereby transmits an
impulse from a nerve cell to another nerve, muscle, organ, or other tissue.
A neurotransmitter is a messenger of neurologic information from one cell
to another. Organic: Related to
an organ. Palliative Care: Medical care or support
that reduces the severity of a disease or slows its progress rather than
providing a cure. For incurable diseases, in cases where the cure is not
recommended due to other health concerns, and when the patient does not
wish to pursue a cure, palliative care becomes the focus of treatment. Parkinson's Disease:
A slowly progressive neurologic disease. Pernicious Anaemia:
A blood disorder caused by inadequate vitamin B12 in the blood. People who
have this disorder do not produce the substance in the stomach that allows
the body to absorb vitamin B12. Insufficient Vitamin B12 can cause a person
to behave in a confused manner. Pick’s Disease –
see Fronto- Temporal Dementia. Positron Emission Tomography
or PET Scan: A highly specialized
imaging technique that uses short-lived radioactive substances to produce
three-dimensional coloured images of those substances functioning within
the body. Posterior Cortical Atrophy
(PCA): PCA is a progressive degenerative condition. Damage to the
brain is located at the back - or posterior - of the brain and the region
most affected is the one responsible for visual processing. Prion: A disease-causing
agent that is neither bacterial nor fungal nor viral and contains no genetic
material. A prion is a protein that occurs normally in a harmless form.
By folding into an aberrant shape, the normal prion turns into a rogue agent.
It then co-opts other normal prions to become rogue prions. Progressive: Increasing
in scope or severity. Advancing. Going forward. In medicine, a disease that
is progressive is going from bad to worse. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy:
A neurologic disorder of unknown origin that gradually destroys cells in
many areas of the brain, leading to serious and permanent problems with
the control of gait and balance. The most obvious sign of the disease is
an inability to aim the eyes properly, which occurs because of damage in
the area of the brain that coordinates eye movements. Psychiatry: The
medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of mental illness. Psychosis: In the
general sense, a mental illness that markedly interferes with a person's
capacity to meet life's everyday demands. In a specific sense, it refers
to a thought disorder in which reality testing is grossly impaired. Reminiscence: Reminiscence
describes the recall of memories and events from the past. Activities that
prompt reminiscence can be a valuable tool when helping a person who has
dementia and, if carried out sensitively and appropriate to the person,
can be seen as part of a person-centred approach that improves well-being. Risk Factor: Something
that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. Senile:
In it’s original sense of the word, senile means ‘pertaining
to old age and the physical decline associated with old age’. Senile
has also been used to describe the mental decline once associated with old
age but now known to be due to dementia. SPECT: An
acronym that stands for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography, a nuclear
medicine procedure (X-ray) in which a gamma camera rotates around the patient
and takes pictures from many angles, which a computer then uses to form
a tomographic (cross-sectional) image. Speech Therapy: The
treatment of speech and communication disorders. The approach used depends
on the disorder. It may include physical exercises to strengthen the muscles
used in speech (oral-motor work), speech drills to improve clarity, or sound
production practice to improve articulation. A person who has difficulty
swallowing may benefit from assessment and treatment by a speech and language
therapist. Stroke: The sudden
death of some brain cells due to a lack of oxygen when the blood flow to
the brain is impaired by blockage or rupture of an artery to the brain.
A stroke is also called a cerebrovascular accident or, for short, a CVA. Syndrome: A set of
signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence
of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular
disease. Temporal: Pertaining
to the temple region of the head. The temporal lobe of the brain is located
beneath the temple. Transient Ischaemic Attacks
(TIA): TIAs are sometimes called mini-strokes
and are temporary interruptions in the brain’s blood supply. Vascular: Relating
to the blood vessels of the body. The blood vessels of the body, as a group,
are referred to as the vascular system. Vascular Dementia: A
common form of dementia that is due to cerebrovascular disease, usually
with stepwise deterioration from a series of small strokes and a patchy
distribution of neurologic deficits affecting some functions and not others.
Vascular dementia commonly begins between the ages of 60 and 75 and affects
men more often than women. Also known as multi-infarct dementia. vCJD: Variant
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a human disease thought to be due to the same
infectious agent as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease.
Both the human and bovine disorders are invariably fatal brain diseases
with unusually long incubation periods measured in years. The diseases are
caused by an unconventional transmissible agent, a prion, resulting in the
deposition of amyloid tissue that causes a breakdown of brain tissue leaving
the infected brain with a "spongy" ("spongiform") appearance.
The disease in humans is sometimes called new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease (nvCJD). White Matter: The
part of the brain that contains myelinated nerve fibres. The white matter
is white because it is the colour of myelin, the insulation covering the
nerve fibres. The white matter is as opposed to the grey matter (the cortex
of the brain which contains nerve cell bodies). Younger People with Dementia:
Dementia is typically associated with
old age. In the UK, about 15,000 people under the age of 65 have dementia.
The symptoms of dementia may be similar to their older counterparts but
the needs and problems experienced by a younger person may be very different
and will require a different approach. With acknowledgements
to British Psychological Society, Alzheimer’s Society, Medicine.net
and others For more information about using the
DementiaWeb Kent and Medway site go to Help.
Last updated: 11th January 2012