Our brains are responsible for all of our functions—thinking, feeling, and doing—but there’s a chance that your brain can falter in its duties, called dementia. The CDC maintains that approximately 4% to 10% of the US population age 65 and older has dementia. Take our quiz to explore what dementia is, what its symptoms are, and how you can best protect yourself.
1. True or false? Dementia — the loss of the cognitive functioning of thinking, remembering, and reasoning — isn’t just one specific disease; several diseases can cause dementia.
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the common types of dementia?
A. Alzheimer’s disease
B. Frontotemporal dementia
C. Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
D. Lewy Body dementia
E. Vascular dementia
3. True or false? Dementia affects millions of people—about one-third of all people age 85 or older may have some form of dementia—and is more common as people grow older, but it is NOT a normal part of aging.
4. Which of the following are symptoms of dementia that affect cognition, the mental processes involved in knowing, learning, understanding, and thinking?
A. Memory loss, confusion. and disorientation.
B. Problems communicating or finding words and/or reasoning or problem-solving.
C. Trouble with visual and spatial abilities, such as getting lost while driving.
D. Trouble planning and organizing and/or performing complex tasks.
E. Poor coordination and control of movements.
F. All of the above
5. Which of the following are symptoms of dementia that are psychological or behavioral?
A. Personality changes and/or inappropriate behavior.
B. Depression.
C. Anxiety and/ or agitation.
D. Being suspicious, known as paranoia.
E. Seeing things that aren’t there, known as hallucinations.
F. All of the above
6. Which of the following are diseases or conditions that present dementia-like symptoms, but are usually reversible?
A. Infections and immune disorders. Fever and other side effects, or conditions caused by the body’s immune system attacking nerve cells, like Multiple Sclerosis, can cause dementia-like symptoms.
B. Metabolic or endocrine problems. Thyroid problems, low blood sugar, having too little or too much sodium or calcium, or problems absorbing vitamin B-12, can cause dementia-like symptoms.
C. Low levels of certain nutrients. Not getting enough thiamin (vitamin B-1), vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, copper, vitamin E, or dehydration, can cause dementia symptoms.
D. Medicine side effects. Side effects, a reaction, or an interaction of several medicines can cause dementia-like symptoms.
E. Issues with the brain. Subdural bleeding, brain tumors, and normal-pressure hydrocephalus, a condition where fluid builds up in the cavities of the brain, can cause dementia-like symptoms.
F. All of the above
7. True or false? Doctors and scientists do not yet fully understand what causes dementia, and treatments are very limited.
8. Which of the following is NOT a risk factor for dementia that is outside your control?
A. Age. While dementia is not a normal part of aging, getting older does increase your risk.
B. Sex. About twice as many women have Alzheimer’s disease (which is believed to be because women generally live longer) while vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia are more common in men.
C. Family history. Having a family history of dementia puts you at greater risk of developing dementia.
D. Eye color. Those with blue eyes are more likely to develop dementia.
E. Down syndrome. Many people with Down syndrome develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease by middle age.
9. Which of the following are risk factors for dementia that you CAN control?
A. Diet and exercise. Eating a healthy diet and getting frequent exercise is believed to lower risk and symptoms of dementia.
B. Excessive alcohol use. Drinking too much alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of dementia.
C. Cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, poorly controlled diabetes, and smoking can all increase your risk.
D. Hearing loss or vision loss that is not treated.
E. Late-life depression, sleep apnea and other sleep disturbances, and frequent use of sleep aids.
F. Having severe and multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
G. Low levels of vitamin D, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and folate.
H. Air pollution
I. All of the above
Compiled by ERIKA ALDRICH / Resources: Information provided by The National Institute on Aging, the Mayo Clinic, and The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
ANSWERS
- True
- C. Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- True
- F. All of the above
- F. All of the above
- F. All of the above
- True
- D. Eye color
- I. All of the above