Dementia praecox is a progressive mental disorder that affects cognitive abilities and can cause changes in attention, reasoning, and personality. It tends to affect teenagers and young adults and is caused by genetics and environmental factors. Symptoms include disordered thinking, restlessness, and delusions. Diagnosis is made by a psychiatrist and treatment includes antipsychotic drugs and ongoing counseling.
Dementia praecox is a progressive mental disorder that affects a person’s cognitive abilities. It can cause changes in attention, reasoning, and personality, and sometimes lead to bizarre delusions and hallucinations. The disease’s name means premature dementia, which refers to its tendency to affect people much younger than those who usually develop symptoms of dementia. Most people with the disorder are teenagers or young adults. Dementia praecox was a common diagnosis in the past, but many professionals today prefer the term schizophrenia.
The exact causes of dementia praecox are not known, but most modern research suggests that both genetics and environmental factors are involved. People who have family histories of schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other types of mental illnesses have a higher risk of developing dementia praecox. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that mothers who are sick, injured, or malnourished during pregnancy are more likely to have children who eventually develop symptoms. A child’s immediate environment can also play a role, as many adolescents and adults who acquire dementia praecox have personal histories of physical abuse, emotional trauma, and drug use.
Symptoms of early dementia can vary from person to person. In most cases, cognitive changes start out subtle and become increasingly prevalent over a period of several years. A person might show signs of disordered thinking, such as having trouble staying focused on a task or jumping from one topic to another in conversation without maintaining any logical order. He may seem restless, anxious, defensive, or emotionless. Alienation from friends and family is common, and many people have major problems at work or school.
Delusions and hallucinations afflict some people with dementia praecox. A person can have very unrealistic beliefs, such as being sure that others are plotting against him. Visual, auditory, and sensory hallucinations can cause the sufferer to completely lose ground with reality. In extreme cases, dementia can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
There are no direct medical tests to confirm dementia praecox, so a diagnosis is usually made by a psychiatrist based on reported symptoms and a careful psychological evaluation. Treatment decisions are made based on a patient’s particular symptoms. Many people respond well to antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine and chlorpromazine. Ongoing counseling and sincere support from friends, family, teachers, and colleagues are important elements in helping a person maintain a normal life. The condition cannot be cured, but many sufferers who stick to their treatment plans are able to function well in society.
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