Semantic Dementia (SD)

The alternative name of semantic dementia is fluent progressive aphasia, pick's disease, frontotemporal dementia, arnold pick's disease. Semantic dementia is progressive neurodegenerative disorder which is caused by the loss of semantic memory which is present in both verbal and nonverbal form. It is frontally predominant form so also called as frontotemporal dementia. Semantic dementia is a disorder which is related to the language. It is very rare disease. It is realted with alzheimer disease.

The patients which are suffered from the semantic dementia are weak in semantic knowledge that is understanding the meaning of word. The time span of the semantic disease is about 8 year ranging from 3 to 15 year. It is more commonly found in female than in male.

Causes of Semantic Dementia

The causes of the semantic dementia are as follows

• Semantic dementia causes due to frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
• Some time this semantic dementia causes due to genetic inheritance.
• The various neurological disorder causes to the semantic dementia.
• Semantic dementia causes due to damage nerve cell of brain.
• People having this disease behave inappropriately.
• It caused due to abnormal tau protein.

Symptoms of Semantic Dementia

The symptoms of the semantic dementia are as follows -

• Difficulty in finding word.
• Change in personality.
• Difficulty in naming.
• Loss of muscle control.
• Behavioral and physical changes.
• Can't do job.
• Repetitive behavior.
• Emotional changes like failure to show emotional warmth, concern, empathy, sympathy, Inappropriate mood.
• Loss of social skill.
• Shrinking vocabulary.

Treatment of Semantic Dementia

There is no curable treatment available on semantic dementia. Pharmacological treatments may improve some of the behavioral problems which associated with semantic dementia. The patients of semantic dementia are totally depends upon the caregiver. The treatment shows the following tests -

• The test like CT scan, brain MRI, Electroencephalogram are use to find out root cause of semantic dementia.
• Analgesics, anticholinergics, central nervous system depressants, cimetidine are help to reduce some symptoms of the semantic dementia like improve thinking, confusion etc.
• Medications help to control aggressive, dangerous, or agitated behavior of the patient.
• Family counseling also improve the some changes which include the community resources, homemakers, visiting nurses or aides, volunteer services.
• The treatment like tranquilizers, antidepressants, serotonin-based supplements and behavioral therapy reduces the symptoms.

Prevention of Semantic Dementia

The prevention of the semantic dementia is unknown.

Prognosis of Semantic Dementia

The prognosis is poor. It progresses rapidly and become worse. The semantic dementia causes death in 2 to 10 years from infection and some time from general failure of body systems.

Possible complications

• Side effects of medications are help to cure disorder.
• Loss of ability to care itself.
• Infection.
• Unable to do function.

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