A neurological disease, dementia causes loss of essential brain function, leaving patients unable to care for themselves. According to MedlinePlus, the online health information resource maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, dementia rarely occurs in people under the age of 60, and the risk of dementia increases with age. Besides damaging cognitive functions, dementia also affects behavior, emotions and personality.
Psychological Changes
As dementia progresses, patients start to display psychotic symptoms. For example, MedlinePlus notes that patients may have a break with reality, and have hallucinations and delusions. These symptoms affect how patients perceive the world. The delusions cause patients to have unrealistic thoughts, such as thinking that someone is listening to their thoughts. Hallucinations, such as hearing voices, can worsen these delusions. Dementia patients may also become aggressive, resulting in violent behavior. The Mayo Clinic adds that dementia patients may also become paranoid. For example, patients may think that their caretaker steals from them.
Mood Changes
When patients have moderate dementia, they can develop depression, a mood disorder that causes persistent sadness. As a result, patients may withdraw from other people or lose interest in activities, such as hobbies. Patients also lose their social skills, which impairs their relationships with other people. The Mayo Clinic notes that dementia also causes personality changes. For example, patients may have a flat mood in which they do not show emotion.
Judgment and Reasoning Problems
Dementia also affects a patient's ability to reason and make decisions, according to the Mayo Clinic. For example, patients cannot choose proper clothing on their own. Patients also have difficulty solving problems and performing reasoning tasks. These judgment problems can have serious consequences. MedlinePlus states that dementia patients cannot recognize dangers, which can put their lives at risk.
Other Behavioral Symptoms
Dementia patients often have problems sleeping. MedlinePlus notes that the disorder affects patients' sleeping patterns, causing them to wake up during the night. The memory loss associated with dementia causes patients to lose self-awareness. For example, patients forget details about their lives. The Mayo Clinic adds that dementia may cause inappropriate behaviors, such as undressing in public.
