Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships. They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, and they may experience personality changes and behavioral problems, such as agitation, delusions, and hallucinations. While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. Doctors diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory and language skills -- are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness.  Some of the diseases that can cause symptoms of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.  Doctors have identified other conditions that can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms including reactions to medications, metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, infections, poisoning, brain tumors, anoxia or hypoxia (conditions in which the brain’s oxygen supply is either reduced or cut off entirely), and heart and lung problems.  Although it is common in very elderly individuals, dementia is not a normal part of the aging process. Drugs to specifically treat Alzheimer’s disease and some other progressive dementias are now available.  Although these drugs do not halt the disease or reverse existing brain damage, they can improve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. This may improve an individual’s quality of life, ease the burden on caregivers, or delay admission to a nursing home. Many researchers are also examining whether these drugs may be useful for treating other types of dementia.  Many people with dementia, particularly those in the early stages, may benefit from practicing tasks designed to improve performance in specific aspects of cognitive functioning. For example, people can sometimes be taught to use memory aids, such as mnemonics, computerized recall devices, or note taking. There are many disorders that can cause dementia. Some, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Huntington’s disease, lead to a progressive loss of mental functions. But other types of dementia can be halted or reversed with appropriate treatment. People with moderate or advanced dementia typically need round-the-clock care and supervision to prevent them from harming themselves or others. They also may need assistance with daily activities such as eating, bathing, and dressing. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and other institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct research related to dementia in laboratories at the NIH and also support additional dementia research through grants to major medical institutions across the country.  Current research focuses on many different aspects of dementia. This research promises to improve the lives of people affected by the dementias and may eventually lead to ways of preventing or curing these disorders. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&term=dementia[majr]+AND+human[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(review[ptyp]+OR+review+literature[mh]+OR+practice+guideline[ptyp]+OR+guideline[ptyp]+OR+clinical+trials[mh]+OR+clinical+trial[ptyp]+OR+consumerj[sb])&db=PubMed&orig_db=PubMed&filters=on&pmfilter_EDatLimit=1+Years http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dementia.html 1 http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term= /disorders/dementias/pubs_dementia.htm /disorders/dementias/xml_dementia.xml xml_dementia.xml V9 Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)

National Institute on Aging

P.O. Box 8250 Silver Spring MD 20907-8250 adear@nia.nih.gov http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers 1-800-438-4380 301-495-3334 V10 Alzheimer's Association

225 North Michigan Avenue

Floor 17 Chicago IL 60601-7633 info@alz.org http://www.alz.org 312-335-8700 1-800-272-3900 (24-hour helpline) TDD: 312-335-5886 866.699.1246 National voluntary health organization committed to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and helping those affected by the disease. V846 Alzheimer's Foundation of America

322 Eighth Avenue

7th Floor New York NY 10001 info@alzfdn.org http://www.alzfdn.org 866-AFA-8484 (232-8484) 646-638-1546 Works to provide optimal care and services to individuals confronting dementia and to their caregivers and families thruogh member organizations dedicated to improving quality of life. V11 John Douglas French Alzheimer's Foundation

11620 Wilshire Blvd.

Suite 270 Los Angeles CA 90025 http://www.jdfaf.org 310-445-4650 310-479-0516 Provides seed money for novel and innovative Alzheimer's research at major California universities. Unsolicited applications and/or letters of inquiry not accepted. V853 Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)

Radnor Station Building #2 Suite 320

290 King of Prussia Road Radnor PA 19087 info@theaftd.org http://www.theaftd.org 267-514-7221 866-507-7222 Nonprofit organization that promotes and funds research into finding the cause and cure for frontotemporal degeneration, also called frontotemporal dementia (FTD); provides information, education, and support to those affected by FTD and their caregivers; and sponsors professional health education programs related to FTD. V91 National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)

55 Kenosia Avenue

Danbury CT 06810 orphan@rarediseases.org http://www.rarediseases.org 203-744-0100 Voice Mail 800-999-NORD (6673) 203-798-2291 Federation of voluntary health organizations dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases and assisting the organizations that serve them. Committed to the identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs of education, advocacy, research, and service. V73 Family Caregiver Alliance/ National Center on Caregiving

785 Market St.

Suite 750 San Francisco CA 94103 info@caregiver.org http://www.caregiver.org 415-434-3388 800-445-8106 415-434-3508 Supports and assists families and caregivers of adults with debilitating health conditions. Offers programs and consultation on caregiving issues at local, state, and national levels. Offers free publications and support online, including a national directory of publicly funded caregiver support programs. V658 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

National Institutes of Health, DHHS

6001 Executive Blvd. Rm. 8184, MSC 9663 Bethesda MD 20892-9663 nimhinfo@nih.gov http://www.nimh.nih.gov 301-443-4513/866-415-8051 301-443-8431 (TTY) 301-443-4279 V75 National Family Caregivers Association

10400 Connecticut Avenue

Suite 500 Kensington MD 20895-3944 info@thefamilycaregiver.org http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org 800-896-3650 301-942-2302 Grassroots organization dedicated to supporting and improving the lives of America's family caregivers. Created to educate, support, empower, and advocate for the millions of Americans who care for their ill, aged, or disabled loved ones. V860 Lewy Body Dementia Association

912 Killian Hill Road, S.W.

Lilburn GA 30047 lbda@lbda.org http://www.lbda.org Telephone: 404-935-6444 LBD Caregiver Link: 800-539-9767 480-422-5434 Supports those affected by Lewy body dementias through outreach, education and research. V729 Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

57 West 57th Street

Suite 904 New York NY 10019 info@alzdiscovery.org http://www.alzdiscovery.org 212-901-8000 212-901-8010 Public charity whose mission is to accelerate the discovery and development of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and cognitive aging. V293 Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Foundation Inc.

P.O. Box 5312

Akron OH 44334 help@cjdfoundation.org http://www.cjdfoundation.org 800-659-1991 330-668-2474 Non-profit, volunteer foundation that promotes research, education, and awareness of CJD and reaches out to people affected by CJD. V847 CJD Aware!

2527 South Carrollton Ave.

New Orleans LA 70118-3013 cjdaware@iwon.com; info@cjdaware.com http://www.cjdaware.com 504-861-4627 Non-profit organization established for support, information sharing, and advocacy. V76 Well Spouse Association

63 West Main Street

Suite H Freehold NJ 07728 info@wellspouse.org http://www.wellspouse.org 800-838-0879 732-577-8899 732-577-8644 International non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to provide emotional support to, raise consciousness about, and advocate for the spouses/partners of the chronically ill and/or disabled. V845 National Respite Network and Resource Center

800 Eastowne Drive

Suite 105 Chapel Hill NC 27514 http://www.archrespite.org 919-490-5577 x222 919-490-4905 Information and referral service that assists and promotes the development of quality respite and crisis care programs; helps families locate respite and crisis care services in their communities; and sponsors advocacy and awareness efforts concerning respite care. V89 BrightFocus Foundation

22512 Gateway Center Drive

Clarksburg MD 20871 info@brightfocus.org http://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/ 1- 800-437-2423 301-258-9454 Non-profit charitable organization dedicated to funding research and educating the public on Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. V697 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization /Natl. Hospice Foundation

1731 King Street

Alexandria VA 22314 nhpco_info@nhpco.org http://www.nhpco.org 703-837-1500 Helpline: 800-658-8898 703-837-1233 Non-profit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals. Provides free referrals to the public for hospice listings across the United States and internationally. Distributes free packets of general information describing hospice services and the Medicare Hospice Benefit.