Understanding the Causes and Reversibility of Dementia Symptoms

Books – Hossam Al Shaqoury

Friday, May 05, 2023 12:00 AM

More than 50 conditions can cause or mimic symptoms of dementia, and a small percentage of dementia is reversible. Two common examples are dementia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency and hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism). Thyroid). Getting the correct diagnosis is important so you know your options, because symptoms subside when the underlying problem is treated. helpguide

Causes of irreversible dementia include vascular disease and vascular dementia), other degenerative disorders (frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease), slow-growing brain tumors, or infections of the central nervous system (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, AIDS dementia, syphilis). neurological), and in some types of dementia, treatment improves mental functioning and, by a small percentage, dementia can be completely reversed if treatment is started before permanent brain damage has occurred. This is why it is important to report any signs of dementia to your doctor as soon as possible.

Reversible dementia is often easier to diagnose than irreversible dementia because it is usually accompanied by other obvious symptoms. However, in the following cases or cases, dementia may be the primary symptom, or even the only one. Appropriate treatment may improve or even restore cognitive functioning.

Causes of dementia

Drug toxic interactions

Medications are a common cause of mental decline. With age, the liver becomes less efficient at metabolizing medications, and the kidneys slow down their removal from the body. As a result, medications tend to build up in the body. Older people in poor health and those who take many different medications are at particular risk.

Vitamin B12 deficiency

The first symptoms of pernicious anemia in the elderly are often confusion, lethargy, irritability, and apathy. Dementia can be a symptom of pernicious anemia, a rare condition caused by low levels of vitamin B12. In people with pernicious anemia, the bone marrow produces red blood cells that are larger and fewer than normal.

Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus (“water on the brain”) is an increase in cerebrospinal fluid around the brain. The ventricles (cavities in the center of the brain) secrete fluid. It circulates around the spinal cord and is absorbed by the veins on the outer surface of the brain and causes dementia.

Oncology

Brain tumors may be malignant (cancerous) and thus able to invade surrounding tissues. Or they may be benign (self-contained), and brain tumors can interfere with cognitive functions and cause personality changes. Depending on their location, they can trigger other symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, or vomiting. The first symptoms of slow-growing tumors often resemble dementia, especially in the elderly.

Thyroid disease

Overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism) usually results from Graves’ disease, while underproduction (hypothyroidism) usually results from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Both disorders can cause dementia-like symptoms.