What is agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease?
Agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease is more than Alzheimer's dementia
Alzheimer's dementia and agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease sound similar, but aren’t the same. They’re two conditions that are diagnosed separately. Agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease is one of the most persistent and distressing behavioral conditions one can have. It can cause your loved one to act out in uncharacteristic ways like:
Verbal Aggression
Physical Aggression
Restlessness
Symptom Questionnaire
Take this questionnaire and find out if what your loved one is experiencing could be agitation that may happen with
dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.
Of the 6.9 million people 65 and older in the US with Alzheimer's dementia, multiple studies show that about half or more develop agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.
What are the symptoms of agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease?
Agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease can seem like it comes out of nowhere, and each person’s experience can be drastically different.
The symptoms of agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease can be broken down into 3 distinct categories, each with their own set of behaviors and challenges that you may recognize:
Verbal Aggression
- Screaming
- Swearing
- Complaining
- Constant requests for attention
- Being negative
- Emotional outbursts
- Strange noises (unwarranted laughter, crying)
- Inappropriate language (cursing, sexual advances)
- Repetitive questions and sentences
Physical Aggression
- Biting
- Hitting
- Kicking
- Hurting self and/or others
- Resisting help
- Destroying things
- Throwing things
- Inappropriate physical behaviors (sexual advances, spitting, scratching, slamming doors)
Restlessness
- Pacing/rocking
- Jumpiness
- Inappropriate social behavior/pointing
- Irritability
- Shakiness
- Repetitive mannerisms
- Wandering
- Hoarding
Symptom Questionnaire
Take this questionnaire and find out if what your loved one is experiencing could be agitation that may happen with
dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.
For you and your loved one, it can feel isolating at times. But it’s important to remember
that it’s the condition causing these outbursts, and it's not your loved one's fault.
What may cause agitation that may happen with dementia due to
Alzheimer's disease?
Because it's more than just Alzheimer’s dementia.
The brain without agitation that may
happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease
In the brain, cognitive functions and impulse control work together.
Cognitive functions are:
- Mental abilities
- Learning
- Reasoning
Impulse control helps regulate:
- Emotional outbursts
- Irrationally agitated behaviors
The brain with agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease
In agitation that may happen with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, the cognitive function and impulse control stop communicating properly, which is associated with a chemical imbalance.
This chemical imbalance can cause:
- Agitated behaviors
- Restless mannerisms