4. Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks: The Hidden Manifestation of Mixed Dementia
Difficulty with completing routine tasks can be a subtle yet significant symptom of mixed dementia. Patients may find familiar tasks increasingly challenging, such as cooking a well-known recipe or driving to a frequent location. They may struggle with concentration and take much longer than usual to finish tasks they previously accomplished quickly and efficiently.
This symptom has a close connection with the executive functions of the brain, primarily governed by the frontal lobes. These functions include skills like problem-solving, multitasking, organizing, and other cognitive abilities needed to complete familiar tasks. Damage to these brain regions due to Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia can result in significant executive dysfunction, making task completion challenging.
In Alzheimer’s disease, the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles disrupts neuron function and communication. When these abnormal protein deposits build up in the frontal lobes, they cause neuronal death, leading to a decline in cognitive function. This decline directly contributes to the difficulty experienced when performing familiar tasks.
Meanwhile, in vascular dementia, the issue arises from impaired blood flow to the brain’s frontal regions. Just like any other organ, when the brain does not receive enough oxygen and nutrients from blood, it starts malfunctioning. If areas responsible for executive function suffer from this lack of supply, it results in difficulty carrying out daily tasks. (4)
