Circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSD), also known as circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (CRSWD), are a group of sleep disorders characterized by irregular sleep patterns. They are caused by a chronic pattern of sleep/wake disruptions, which can be caused by a malfunction in one’s biological clock system or a mismatch between one’s endogenous oscillator and externally…
Attention Deficit Disorder
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), the generic term for all types of the “official” clinical diagnosis called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), affects nearly 4 percent to 6 percent of the U.S. population, according to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association. An estimated 2 million children in the United States, or some 3 percent to 5 percent…
Mild Cognitive Impairment
The term Mild Cognitive Impairment, or MCI, is increasingly being used to describe a syndrome of memory impairment that does NOT significantly impact daily activities and is not accompanied by declines in overall cognitive function. Researchers have found that between 6 and 25 percent of people with MCI progress on to Alzheimer’s, which has raised…
Familial Alzheimer’s Disease
Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (FAD) is a very rare form of Alzheimers, and runs in very few families. If a parent has a specific mutated gene, then any children have a 50% chance of inheriting and developing the disease. The presence of the specific mutated gene means that the person will eventually develop Alzheimers disease, usually…
Types of Dementia
There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own causes. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 50% and 70% of all dementias. The effects of the different types of dementia are similar, but not identical, as each one tends to affect different parts of the brain.…
Dementia With Lewy Bodies
A significant number of people diagnosed with dementia are found to have tiny spherical structures called Lewy bodies in the nerve cells of their brains. It is thought these may contribute to the death of brain cells. The symptoms of this form of dementia are often mild at the outset and can be extremely variable…