Dementia: Types, What They Are and How They Differ

Author

Jessica N. SchnetzerFollow

Date of Award

Spring 2020

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Department/Major

Biology

First Advisor

Ranelle Nissen, PhD, OTR/L

Second Advisor

Joy Backes, RN, BSN

Third Advisor

Mary Schmitz

Keywords

dementia, cognitive disease, disorder, Ranelle Nissen, Mary H. Schmitz, Joy Backes, Alzheimer’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, Korsakoff’s syndrome, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s dementia, Vascular dementia

Subject Categories

Anatomy | Chemicals and Drugs | Communication Sciences and Disorders | Diseases | Medical Sciences | Medical Specialties | Medicine and Health Sciences | Mental and Social Health | Nursing | Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | Psychiatry and Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Dementia: types, what they are and how they differ centers on the known and unknown complexities of dementia. Dementia is a very complex cognitive disease that consumes the brain, an organ of which we know very little about. Even so, this common disorder is actively being researched and is the topic of special interest of this thesis research. Described are Alzheimer’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, Korsakoff’s syndrome, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s dementia, and Vascular dementia, focusing on what they are, their specific risks, diagnosis, treatment, and their differing progressions. Guidance of this study provided by thesis director Ranelle Nissen, who studies dementia and is a professor at USD. The remaining two thesis committee members are Mary H. Schmitz, Director of the memory unit and former director of activities at Grand Living at Lake Lorraine in Sioux Falls, and Joy Backes, Director of health and wellness, also, at Grand Living at Lake Lorraine; all of whom have extensive dementia experience and are reliable resources and mentors during this dementia thesis process.

Recommended Citation

Schnetzer, Jessica N., "Dementia: Types, What They Are and How They Differ" (2020). Honors Thesis. 103.
https://red.library.usd.edu/honors-thesis/103