Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior impacts roughly 2.2 million adults or 1 percentage of the U.S. population. The ailment affects women and men equally, and it may cause debilitating effects, however, what are the links between OCD and dementia?

Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior is a disorder characterized by obsessive mind and compulsive behaviors. It’s not unusual to see this challenging behavior in certain varieties of dementia which includes frontotemporal dementia, Huntington’s disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy.

Symptoms of OCD Fear of contamination by germs or by others Fear of losing control and harming yourself or other people Excessive focus on religious or moral ideas Fear of losing or not having items you may need Intrusive sexually explicit or violent thoughts and images.

Dementia, which can be considered a form of psychosis, is not a single disease. It seems like a universal term, which includes heart disease, and it covers an extensive variety of clinical situations like Alzheimer’s disease. The disorder is grouped beneath neath dementia, and peculiar brain changes cause it. These typically cause a decline in cognitive abilities or thinking capabilities which are significant enough to affect a person’s daily life and independent function. A majority of dementia is progressive, which means the signs and symptoms will begin slowly and steadily get worse. If you or someone you know is experiencing a change in thinking capabilities or memory difficulties, do not ignore them. You have to see a physician to determine the cause. It can lead to psychosis, which may be tough to treat.

Symptoms Of Dementia Include:

• Memory loss Difficulty reasoning or problem-solving
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Personality changes
• Inability to handle complicated tasks
• Getting lost Confusion and disorientation
• Agitation Hallucinations (psychosis)

Some studies have indicated that later life development of obsessive-compulsive behavior (as opposed to a life-long tendency) can be linked to the early stages of dementia and must be evaluated by a knowledgeable physician. For example, studies offered at the American Academy of Neurology 2016 annual assembly reported that OCD signs and symptoms can be an early sign of frontotemporal dementia. Another study found that those who had records of hoarding and checking obsessions (for example, an urge to repetitively check and recheck that the faucet is turned all the way off) had a higher risk of growing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.