engleski

Changes in life quality- a possible symptom of dementia development

Dementia is characterised by the development of severe cognitive deficit. Such impairments significantly affect patient's daily activities and functioning. Dementia is a chronic and irreversible disorder which usually develops after the age of 85 with a prevalence of 20%. The prevalence of dementia in people under the age of 65 amounts to 2-4% and is diagnosed as early-onset dementia. This paper presents a 53-year-old male patient, married and a father of one child. He has worked for the same employer for the last 21 years and was considered to be a hardworking and devoted worker. However, lately, he has not performed his duties well and has become forgetful and unsociable. Upon suspicion of alcohol abuse, he was referred to an occupational medicine specialist. Laboratory findings were within standard values as well as the medical checkup results. A psychiatrist’s visit revealed a state of low mood, anxiety, confabulations and time disorientation. Hetero-data revealed he was not using alcohol, but had become forgetful, plaintive and socially withdrawn. Provisional diagnosis was established while further diagnostic workup included brain CT, psychodiagnostic assessment and neurological exam and brain CT. Such workup confirmed the development of dementia, i.e. early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (before age 65) accompanied by depressed mood with impaired vision. The question is what all could contribute to the development of early dementia? We will discuss the analysis of this case report.

dementia; Alzheimer disease; quality of life

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