Senility Definition

"Approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease," a form of senility, states the National Institutes of Health. Senility, as defined by Dictionary.com, is "the state of being senile, especially the weakness or mental infirmity of old age." While common in elderly people, senility is not a normal part of the aging process, states the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). However, there are several factors involved in acquiring senility and there are things you can do to reduce your risk.

Facts

• Senility, also called dementia or organic brain syndrome, is not a specific disease. Instead, it represents a group of symptoms caused by disorders that affect the brain, states Medline Plus. If you suffer from senility, you have difficulties with two or more brain functions, such as language and memory, without loss of consciousness. Memory loss by itself does not mean you suffer from senility. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of senility.

Causes

• While causes of senility vary according to the individual, two common causes are stroke and arteriosclerosis. Other medical conditions that can cause senility and may be reversible include reactions to medications, infections, poisonings, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic problems, endocrine abnormalities and brain tumors. According to NINDS, "All forms of dementia result from the death of nerve cells and/or the loss of communication among cells." Many factors can interfere with the brain's functioning, but it is unclear exactly how dementias develop.

Types of Senility

• According to NINDS, there are several categories of senility including: cortical dementia, subcortical dementia, progressive dementia, primary and secondary dementia. Some types of dementia fall in more than one category, and these are: Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, HIV-associated dementia, Huntington's disease, dementia pugilistica---or Boxer's syndrome, corticobasal degeneration, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as well as other rare hereditary dementias. Children's forms of dementia include Niemann-Pick disease, Batten disease and Lafora body disease.

Prevention/Treatment

• Although there isn't a cure for senility, there are several treatments available to relieve symptoms and slow down the condition. From prescription medications to lifestyle changes and alternative medicine, according to the MayoClinic, finding some relief is possible. It is also possible to take measures to help prevent senility from occurring. Keeping active physically, mentally, and socially reduces your risks. Reducing your risk for heart disease---watching your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels--will further reduce your risk for senility.

History

• According to an April 1, 2007 article in "The Lincoln Journal Star," the German welfare system, which was developed in the 1870s, institutionalized the concept that people's minds fall apart after age 65. This concept was called senile dementia. In fact, in1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described brain abnormalities associated with Alzheimer's dementia as a distinct disease that only people under 65 could acquire. We now know that senility is not an old-age disease and Alzheimer's disease can occur before or after age 65.