Mixed dementia is when someone is diagnosed with more than one type of dementia. There are more than 400 different types of dementia, but a combination of one type of dementia with Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia is the most common. However, it’s possible to get any combination of two or more dementia types, and they’re all classified as mixed dementia.
As with all forms of dementia, mixed dementia is most common in older patients of at least 75. However, people can start showing signs and symptoms of mixed dementia as early as their forties or fifties. There’s currently no known cure for mixed dementia or dementia of any kind, but there are treatments and therapies that can help hold off the effects of dementia for as long as possible.
The signs and symptoms of mixed dementia are similar to those of all common types of dementia. On average, people will start exhibiting symptoms in their sixties and seventies. In rare cases, however, symptoms can start as early as forty or fifty. Symptoms typically start very gradually and progress over the years, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly when symptoms first manifest. In general, however, here are the symptoms and signs to watch out for with mixed dementia.
As mixed dementia progresses, it can result in personality changes, agitation, depression, paranoia, and inappropriate behaviour. Additionally, symptoms will vary depending on the different types of dementia you have.
As with all types of dementia, the exact cause of mixed dementia is mostly unknown. Additionally, it’s very difficult to tell when someone has more than one type of dementia, which means that mixed dementia often goes undiagnosed while the patient is still living. While most forms of dementia happen when there’s a loss of or damage to nerve cells in the brain, it’s unknown what causes this damage to occur.
However, here are a few known risk factors of mixed dementia.
As we said before, it’s extremely difficult to diagnose mixed dementia in a living person. As a result, most cases of mixed dementia are not diagnosed until the autopsy following someone’s death. In the instances where it is diagnosed, however, mixed dementia is detected through the use of brain scans and neurological tests. Psychiatric evaluations, blood tests, and genetic testing can also help diagnose mixed dementia.
There’s currently no known cure for dementia of any kind. However, there are treatment options that can help slow the effects of mixed dementia and help you lead a fairly normal life for as long as possible.
Medications – It’s common for doctors to diagnose a single type of dementia rather than multiple kinds. In those instances, medications can help maintain brain and cognitive function.
Lifestyle changes – If you’re at risk for dementia, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise your mind and body regularly.
Therapies – Additionally, speech, physical, and occupational therapy can help with the negative symptoms of mixed dementia.