www.womanthismonth.com 37 February 2013 | T here is probably no more a dreaded illness associated with getting older than any type of dementia. Millions of people around the world suffer from this identity-destroying condition and the numbers keep on increasing year by year. Far too often we hear about cases where parents can’t even remember their children’s names or find their way back home from the neighbourhood store. The real question we try to tackle is, why is it caused and are we all really helpless in the hands of this mind-robbing horror? Dementia 101 Our expert: Dr Shahid Khan, internal medicine, American Mission Hospital Dementia is not a disease in itself, but rather a general term used to describe a decline in mental ability. Any kind of damage in the brain cells interferes with the capacity of the brain to communicate with the rest of the body. When this line of communication breaks (because of old age or a disease) normal actions like thinking and feeling can be affected. Symptoms vary depending on the cause or type of dementia. These include memory loss where the patient may forget his way back home or may forget names and places. Moodiness where the person cannot control their emotions can also be noticed sometimes. Communicative difficulties are usually sure signs that something is wrong and as the disease progresses, their ability to carry out everyday tasks diminishes. “Diagnosis requires a complete medical and neuropsychological evaluation. After a patient is brought in by their family, the doctor first needs to determine the severity of their cognitive problem,“ explains Dr Khan. A detailed history is taken while a physical examination is carried out along with a few mental status tests and laboratory exams. Among them is the Minnesota Mini-mental Status Examination where a multiple questionnaire test is given to the patient. The score of the questionnaire evaluates the cognitive deficit of the patient, ranging from mild to severe. “A Brain CT scan or MRI can help us in determining the cause, which could be a stroke for example. Knowing the cause allows us to recommend the right treatment plan,” he adds. Can it be treated? Some medications can be used to help slow down the process but most treatments can neither reverse nor stop dementia. There are, however a few cases that are caused by medical conditions that can be treated. In these cases, most or full mental functionality can be restored. Thyroid disease or Vitamin B12 deficiency can be treatable if diagnosed in early stages. Alzheimer disease is one type of dementia that can be treated by some medications to only slow down the process and prolong a person’s brain control. Alzheimer’s 101 Our expert: Qusai Al Haddad, specialist neurologist at Bahrain Specialist Hospital The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), increases with old age, but developing it is not a part of normal ageing. The exact cause of AD is yet to be clear. Studies show that genes and environmental factors seem to play a role. Risk factors, although not well proven, include having high blood pressure for a long time and a history of head trauma. Some studies even suggest that women are more likely to suffer from AD than men. Symptoms include difficulty with many areas of mental function like emotional behaviour or personality, language, memory, perception, thinking and judgment. The early symptoms can include difficulty performing tasks that take some thought, but used to come easily, such as balancing a cheque book, playing complex board games or learning new information or routines. “Getting lost on familiar routes and misplacing items as well as loss of social skills can be signs to look out for,” says Dr Qusai. As AD worsens, symptoms become more obvious and interfere with a person’s ability to take care of themselves. This can then result in a change in sleep patterns, delusions, depression and even something as simple as preparing meals or choosing proper clothing to wear. In the most severe case, a person can no longer understand language or recognize family members.
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