Wednesday 23 August 2017

Exploring the Myths of Dementia


exploring the myths of dementia

Recently I was asked about a myth associated with dementia.  Due to my own age and condition Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) the person in question asked me if this was an “inherited condition”.  Put simply No, MCI and dementia are not inherited conditions.  The term Dementia is used to describe a decline in mental ability that affects the daily life of the person.  Short term memory loss, communication gap and ability to focus are few common examples of dementia. Many people have dementia which starts out slowly and gets worse gradually as time passes.

This led me to think about the other myths associated with dementia.
So here they are:

1.    We’ll start with the question I was asked – Is Dementia Inherited
Dementia is not inherited; the frequency of dementia rises to 50% within the over 90’s age range.  Contributing factors within your family could be family members have high blood pressure which increases the chances of dementia in the future.  But with lifestyle changes dementia can be prevented and can make a huge difference to the rate of genetic symptoms such as high blood pressure.

2.    Dementia is a normal part of the ageing process
A great proportion of the population dies without having dementia.  Those who say it is normal part of ageing are unaware of the facts.  Your loved one may have memory loss diseases that make them often confused, but if you think their condition is not normal, then you should seek professional guidance for the correct treatment.

With access to the internet there is an abundance of information to figure out the causes of confusion, of which many can easily be treated.

3.    Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia are the same
Dementia is the symptoms that Alzheimer’s disease patients often show. But numerous other diseases can cause dementia in humans. People who have cardiac complications or blood pressure problem easily became victims of dementia.

In Alzheimer’s disease, brain cells start shrinking and brain tissues also affected.

While dementia patients suffer from memory loss, difficulties in learning and understanding problems.

4.    There are no effective treatments
Actually, it is factual to say that there are a number of ways to reduce the risk of dementia and to get rid of dementia.

Exercising regularly can play a key role in coping with memory loss.  In addition, changes to our diet can make a bigger difference than many medications.  Changes can include eating the correct number of calories. 

The Alzheimer’s society has a comprehensive list and provides updated content on all types of dementia problems not just Alzheimer’s disease.

5.    Alcohol is effective in treating Dementia
I have found no evidence of this, quite the contrary.  Alcohol causes more health-related problems – mental disorders and in extreme cases early death.

I have also found evidence of Korsakoff’s syndrome, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and Alcoholic dementia which are caused by a lack of thiamine and the toxic effects of alcohol misuse of several years.

Wine particularly contains elements that make our brain unconscious and the internet is full of reports that proves alcohol affects memory and the brain.

Where there is evidence that Red wine can protect you from heart disease and diabetes it can have negative affect on your memory – and though I too enjoy the odd tipple you’ll never hear “a glass a day helps you live a long and healthy life”.

Just some factoids
Dementia is usually prevalent in people ageing 65 years or over.  Since people traditionally retired at 65, this is the age used; however, this age does not have any biological significance and is an artificial cut-off point.

Dementia is not a specific disease rather that it is a set of symptoms associated with at least two impaired brain functions, such as memory loss and impaired judgment.  Dementia may result as a result of a head trauma, injury to the brain, Huntington’s disease or a tumour.

There is also Mixed Dementia, which is where the signs and symptoms of more than one form of dementia occur simultaneously. The most common type of mixed dementia is characterised by protein deposits that are typically seen in those with Alzheimer’s disease which is the most prevalent form of dementia.

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