In recent years. there has been a considerable increase in Alzheimer's and Dementia.
By Armand Rodrigues
Past her 90th birthday, my paternal
grandmother behaved a little odd now and then and some impediment in her speech
became evident. In the early part of the
last century, this was attributed to age-related behaviour. She was going senile or into dotage or was a
bit dotty or batty. There seemed to be
no real explanation for this condition or a medical cure.
Fast-forward to now. Medical terms such as Alzheimer’s and
Dementia have become the norm. “Senior moment” is also used loosely. World-wide
over 47 million people are going through the phase. Today the symptoms are said to be memory
disorders, personality changes, impaired reasoning, disorientation and slurred
speech. I often wondered what the cause
or causes could be. What follows is
what I have garnered from published sources, about the condition. It may or may
not resonate with everybody.
Conventional wisdom now sees things in a
different light. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of Dementia.
Dementia is not just a disease of the elderly or those over 65. The onset of Dementia can start as early as
30 but is harder to diagnose as the cognitive decline is milder or may be
attributed to stress, depression, anxiety or psychiatric illness. Even air
pollution in the form of polluted particulate matter can affect memory
performance. If detected early,
treatments are available that may halt the progression. All of us have five
senses. We can see, smell, taste, feel
and hear. As we age, our cognitive faculties diminish in acuity. There was a
time when I could look at a school-reunion photograph and instantly recall
names. Today it takes me longer to
associate a name with a face and, at times, I draw a complete blank. A cook must be able to see what he/she is
cooking, taste it and smell it or else rely on questionable guesswork, with
disastrous results. The analogy applies to dementia. Growing evidence suggests
that deficits in hearing and seeing can lead to a decline in cognitive
abilities (faculty of knowing or perceiving).
Three parts of the brain come into play in this equation: the instinctual brain, the emotional brain, and the thinking brain. If you encounter any danger, instinct
kicks in and helps protect you. Your emotional
brain feels fear and anxiety. Your thinking
brain knows that you are in danger. In
dementia, the thinking brain is what has been found to be functioning
erratically.
When you cannot hear well, the brain receives
distorted signals and cannot easily and instantly decipher the meaning of
messages. Hearing loss results in faster
atrophy in the thinking section that relates to memory, learning and
thinking. Poor or failing eyesight only
aggravates matters, as does diabetes and some medications. As well, a person’s
inability to recognize familiar smells, like menthol, clove or lemon, is an early
warning that Alzheimer’s may be in the offing. In a sense, with these
drawbacks, the wires get crossed in the brain and then distort its inner
workings and cause mental deterioration and disorientation. Instant recall becomes difficult. Short-term memory, reasoning, reading,
comprehension and one’s voice are compromised. The brain is in a kind of
fog. One’s personality or behaviour may
change. The feeling of confusion is
constant. An otherwise outgoing person
may become insular and reclusive. Panic
sets in. One may react with violence or
aggression.
Uncorrected deficits in hearing and vision can
hasten cognitive decline. If one becomes
socially isolated or lonely, it only compounds the problem. If corrective action is taken on a timely
basis, the onset of dementia can be diminished.
Physical and mental exercises have been found to be indispensable in
maintaining a degree of stability in our cognitive abilities. Stimulating activities are part of the
solution. To stave loneliness, participation in club, church or volunteer
activities can help in social interaction.
Recent scientific studies have found that deep sleep helps clear toxins
in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s. Researchers have also found that
dehydration caused by a lower intake of water or fluids has an adverse effect on
our internal organs and aggravates the effects of Alzheimer’s.
And, before we forget, a proper Will
and Power of Attorney made when one is in control of one’s cognitive faculties,
is a must.
(In all instances, if in doubt contact your
doctor)
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