YOUR HEALTH
with Dr. Thakkar
DEMENTIA
Dementia is a condition that most people fear and that may explain why many patients
don’t see their doctor in the early stages of the disease. There are over two hundred
different types of dementia, the commonest being Alzheimer’s disease and vascular
dementia. Other less common forms include Lewy Body dementia which is associated
with Parkinson’s disease, Pick’s disease which predominantly affects the front of the
brain, and Benson’s disease which impacts on the visual pathways.
Dementia is not exclusively a disease of memory disturbance, although memory cells in
the brain are delicate and highly susceptible to damage. It’s considered to be a global and
progressive neurodegenerative disease that impacts on several other functions including
personality. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing but a disease in its own right.
Impact
What to do next
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease gradually
deteriorate over a period of time whereas
vascular dementia is caused by multiple
microscopic strokes and patients tend to
deteriorate in distinct steps.
Prevention is the greatest cure. Exercising,
not smoking, reducing alcohol intake, weight
management and blood pressure control all go
a long way to reducing the risk of developing
dementia. Keeping your brain stimulated and
social interaction is vital. Mental exercises like
Sudoku or crossword puzzles can help.
In the initial stages the family, or the patient, may
notice forgetfulness. Keys or wallets may get
lost, patients may forget why they went to the
shops or that they have left the cooker on. As
time goes on, people may suffer from confusion,
falls or display aggressive behaviour which
can be frightening for all concerned. There is
a lack of “registration” - for instance, patients
can look but not ‘see’, or hear but not ‘listen’.
The latter stages are often difficult for families
to cope with and symptoms can include sleep
disturbance, soiling and wandering. Paranoid
thoughts may develop where patients believe
they are being watched or that their loved ones
are imposters. Patients may also suffer from
hallucinations. Malnutrition and dehydration
are also