Page 14 - Changes and Challenges

Dementia
Changes and Challenges
Common Symptoms and Changes

Each of the major areas of the brain is associated with functions. Damage to
an area will cause changes to these functions. These changes are manifest as
some of the symptoms of Dementia and are used to help identify the type of
Dementia. The major functions of these areas of the brain are set out below
with some of the symptoms. Some functions cross regions or more likely have
different aspects controlled in different areas. (It is also worth noting that the
following tables are not definitive and will likely change as our understanding
progresses.)
Frontal Lobe.

Functions Include: Some Symptoms of Impairment:
Judgment Changes in personality and social behaviour.
Foresight Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others.
Initiation Difficulty in sequencing – planning and
Problem Solving completing complex tasks in correct order.
Inhibition of behaviour Repeating same actions and comments
Planning and anticipation without conscious awareness of doing so.
Self-Monitoring Loss of flexibility in thinking.
Personality Distractibility.
Emotions Mood swings.
Organisation Diminished abstract reasoning.
Concentration Difficulty with problem solving.
Expression of language Difficulty in finding and correct usage of
Smell words.
Loss of simple movement of some body parts
Table 1: The Frontal Lobe: Functions and Some Symptoms of Impairment

Page 9 of 59