What Is APA Static Dementia?

Dementia is a term for a collection of symptoms that includes memory loss, inability to solve problems, loss of control of emotions, inability to perform everyday activities, behavioral changes, hallucinations, delusions and personality changes.

Diagnosis

• Dementia is categorized in three broad groups: static, progressive and reversible. The causes of each differ and the long term prognosis is also different. Static and reversible forms of dementia can occur at any age while progressive forms of dementia are the most prevalent and are common among the elderly.

Definition

• Static dementia is characterized as being stable and unchanging. The level of cognitive impairment will remain the same unless the underlying condition is treated, additional injury is suffered or another medical complication occurs.

Causes

• Static dementia is typically caused by an incident such as a stroke, head injury, or vascular disease. It can also be caused by a reversible condition, such as a vitamin deficiency or a bad reaction to new medication.

Treatment

• When caused by permanent brain damage, treatment is largely behavioral in order to help the individual learn to live with their new limitations. With dementia caused by a curable condition, the reversibility of symptoms is dependent on early detection, availability and timely administration of the treatment.

APA

• The American Psychological Association covers a wide range of topics in its research including Alzheimer's disease and dementia. It does not indicate a type of dementia, but rather an organization involved in categorizing forms of dementia.