Dementia case example

Too Little Neurotransmission. In some cases, disease appears to damage or cause the death of nerve cells, a process called neurodegeneration. These diseases cause problems by stopping normal neurotransmission altogether. One example of this disease process is Alzheimer s disease, the major cause of dementia in the elderly. In this common and devastating illness, acetylcholine-containing nerve cells, and others, die prematurely. 

Table 10.4 lists the various medications that can be stopped and medical illnesses that can be treated to reverse dementia. In some cases, such as hypothyroidism or dehydration, the reversal can be complete. More often, the dementia is only partially reversed or its further progression is halted. Examples of these partial improvements include normal pressure hydrocephalus and vitamin B12 deficiency. 

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