Most types of dementia can affects the brain chemicals Brain chemicals
Chemicals released by the neurons in the brain in order to communicate. which are responsible for maintaining mood. The combination of these changes in mood, knowledge of having the disease - and as well as having friends and family pass away, can lead to feelings of sadness or even depression Depression
A disorder where a person experiences a constant state of sadness and low mood which interferes with their daily activity.. These feelings may translate into behavioral changes such as loss of appetite, withdrawal from friends and family, or crying episodes. Many symptoms of Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease
A neurological disease that affects memory and behaviour. It is characterized by beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. There is no known cause but genetics and lifestyle are thought to play a role. can amplify low mood or depression, such as memory Memory
The ability to process information that requires attention, storage, and retrieval. loss, inability to communicate and decreased functioning. Loss of freedom, or independence as experienced when their driver's license is revoked and consistently having to rely on a caregiver also can cause unhappiness or loss of ambition.

In frontotemporal dementia Frontotemporal dementia
A type of dementia that mainly affects the frontal lobe causing a problem in executive function tasks., low mood, apathy Apathy
An attitude or feeling of indifference. or indifference toward events in the person's surrounding environment is often a feature of the illness. This can be caused by a marked reduction in initiative, and lack of motivation. In these people low mood may appear to be depression, but they do not experience sad feelings. People may show shallow affect (flat facial expression or lack of emotional response).

As frontotemporal dementia is characterized by personality and behavior changes, the opposite of low mood, we'll call high mood can occur. In these situations the person will present in an inappropriate jocular manner by singing, dancing, clapping their hands or recite phrases repeatedly. Depression is common in Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease
A progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of neurons in the brain. The disease has been linked to a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine which has consequences such as tremors, speech impediments, movement difficulties, and often dementia later in the course of the disease. dementia. In Lewy body dementia, the presence of depression is a supportive feature for the diagnosis Diagnosis
The process by which a physician determines what disease a patient has by studying the patient’s symptoms and medical history and by analyzing any tests performed (blood, urine, brain scans, etc.)..

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