Dementia

Dementia is a collection of symptoms which explain the falling efficacy of an individual at his social, personal and physical reasoning along with decrease in his ability to recognize and recollect from the past the name or numbers related to the environment in which he daily interacts.                     

CAUSES: The causes of dementia are highly variable ranging from stroke, brain trauma, and hypoxia to complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson diseases. Decreased level of hormones produced from thyroid glands of the neck and decreased vitamin B1 level could also cause memory loss. Deficiency of other vitamins and minerals along with viral, bacterial or fungal infections could also trigger gradual loss of memory and cognitive functions.

SYMPTOMS: Person suffering from dementia shows slow responses to a stimulus and takes a lot of time to remember things from his past. The person shows changes in his personality and interaction. He often hallucinates hypothetical objects and is incapable of reasoning.

TESTS: Abbreviated mental test score, mini mental state examination and clock drawing tests are carried out in which the patient is asked to tell the right information about his personality and surroundings. Blood tests for detecting thyroid hormone level, electrolytes, vitamins, enzymes and infection are also carried out. X-ray examination and MRI, another such technique, are also fruitful in diagnosing the condition.

TREATMENT: Antipsychotics, anxiolytics and antidepressants are observed to reduce the rate of dementia. Incase of Alzheimer’s disease, ACE inhibitors are co-administered with N-methy-D-aspartate Blockers.

PREVENTION: Healthy diet indicating adequate vitamin and mineral intake with regular mental and physical exercise along with adequate brain use could prevent the occurrence of dementia not to mention the importance of avoidance of alcohol and smoking in decreasing dementia.