A few weeks ago I was on the SteemStem discord channel chatting with @saho, and his post about Mood disorders came up. This, in turn, prompted the interest of another fellow steemian whose dad has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. Coincidentally, that week, I had been reading about dementias and soon understood why that fellow steemian was keen to get more information on the subject.
You see, people living with vascular dementia are prone to react with excessive emotion to minor things and to experience mood swings. These emotions are something that, in some individuals, can even be conveyed through physical violence. Other possible symptoms of vascular dementia are delusions and hallucinations; which inevitably reminds me of my grandmother, who weeks before her death (at 82) reported seeing “a little boy running around the house”. Granny died less than two months after she started talking about the little boy and, other than hallucinations, she did not display any of the other characteristic signs and symptoms of vascular dementia, which contrarily to Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) generally has a sudden onset often following a stroke.
Some of other signs and symptoms are:
- Difficulties with concentration & communication
- Cognitive impairment, such as memory loss
- Epileptic seizures
- Symptoms of stroke, for example: paralysis of an arm
- Getting lost
- Symptoms of depression
An important thing to keep in mind here is that signs and symptoms will vary from person to person, because in this sort of dementia this is dependent on what area of the brain has been damaged.
But, what is Vascular Dementia?
Well, dementia is related to neurodegenaration and changes in brain function. Therefore, it is regarded to be a disorder of the brain. So, in vascular dementia this is a result of poor (or interrupted) blood supply to the brain. As you know, blood carries nutrients and oxygen, elements that neurons cannot function properly without. This lack of oxygen and nutrients will eventually cause the progressive death of brain cells, which may prompt the onset of vascular dementia.
What are the risk factors for vascular dementia?
The same as those for heart disease and stroke: smoking, diabetes, atherosclerosis, high-blood pressure and so forth.
Here, the only box my grandmother would have ticked was the smoking one, which she did for most of her life. Still, if I continue to speculate that her hallucinations were indeed a symptom of vascular dementia what might have happened to her was the onset of a progressive decline of both her cognitive and non-cognitive functions as a result of mini-strokes that were so small that the symptoms either went unnoticed or were temporary (a multi-infarct dementia).
Another possibility, of course, is that the naughty little boy she often saw running around was a real ghost 😲
Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia is a very tricky disorder to be diagnosed, and this is mainly due to its early onset. Most cases of dementia are seen in individuals at the age of, or older than 65 years, but the onset of frontotemporal dementia can be even seen in people in their 50’s. Further, the fact that its first symptoms are mainly showed through non-cognitive functions makes it even harder for an early diagnosis to take place.
The reason for this is because neurodegeneration in this case happens in the frontal cortex to begin with, to then progress to the temporal cortex (in AD this happens the other way round). This is really delicate because the frontal lobe is where our personality “lives”, it is where our emotions are controlled and also managed.
So, what happens when the frontal lobe begins to show neurodegeneration and atrophy?
Bill’s Case
Bill was 55 years-old when at a BBQ in a friend’s house he got really upset with a young boy and pushed him against a wall. This was something completely out of his character and it was also the last episode that finally made his wife to seek medical help for him. Prior to that incident, for the past few months Bill had forgotten to go to dinners, meetings, dentist appointments, and on one occasion he burst in tears when his grandchild started to cry in his arms.
From those months onwards Bill just became more and more reclusive, he lacked emotions and found it impossible to relate to his family and friends. Also, every other time his children came over to visit him, he behaved in a rather coarse and disinhibited manner.
Bill is likely to live 10 to 15 years counting from the onset of his disease (which is pretty much impossible to say precisely when). Throughout those years it is expected his personality will radically change, that he will not be able to recognise people as well as things, and that his speech will become impaired.
Causes
This is a rare disorder. 50% of frontotemporal dementia cases are inherited and result from a chromosomal mutation in the gene that makes a protein involved in the normal functioning of neurons - tau protein (the abnormal formation of this protein is also one of the three characteristic pathological brain changes in Alzheimer’s dementia). As for those who do not display such genetic changes, like Bill, the cause of the disorder remains unknown.
Next, we are going to briefly discuss Alzheimer’s dementia, the most frequent type of dementia, and a disorder that I saw developing in very different ways: one through the experience a colleague of mine (Clara) went through with her grandmother, and the other through witnessing how it progressed on my friend’s mother, who, here, we are going to call Mrs. Molly.
Alzheimer’s Dementia – Mrs. Molly & Clara’s granny
The last time I visited Mrs. Molly was in 2013, a few weeks before her 92nd birthday and three months before her death. As soon as I arrived she smilingly looked at me and said “hello my dear, did you bring my dress and called the driver? I am a millionaire, you know?” I smiled and handed to her a 50 piece-puzzle. Off she went to the garden where her daughter showed her what to do with the puzzle; which, while chomping on an apple she half assembled and half played with for the next hour. Meanwhile, she would not stop laughing and talking to herself, while her daughter and I caught up with things.
Mrs. Molly’s scenario however was much, much different from that of Clara’s grandmother who became hostile, depressive, lost her ability to control her bowels and bladder and needed help during meals. This is because the way dementia progresses vary from one person to the next, as I mentioned before. However, there were indeed some symptoms they had in common: they both had trouble sleeping, lost awareness of time and place, lost their sense of self, and became estranged to their family members and close friends.
When Mrs. Molly smiled at me and asked me those questions, she had no idea who I was, in the same way she, for nearly 2 years, had no idea who her loving, full-time carer daughter was. Oh! Mrs. Molly had never been a millionaire.
What happened to Mrs. Molly’s and Clara’s grandmother’s brain for them to become like that?
This is a rather complex process, which very briefly described could be seen as a web of interplaying factors involving:
- The formation of plaques due to the presence of the longer version of the β-amyloid peptide, which when not removed effectively has the tendency to form clumps between brain cells.
- The formation of tangles by a hyperphosphorylated form of tau. Tau is a protein that binds to microtubules in neuronal axons. But, tau containing many phosphate groups attached to it cannot bind to microtubules effectively. This of course prevents the normal function of the neuron which will subsequently die.
- Severe loss of brain volume (due to neuron death).
The three processes mentioned above begin to take place in the hippocampus and medial temporal lobes. As you can see, this is why people with AD suffer from memory impairment, because those are regions of the brain that play an important role in consolidating (declarative) memories.
What Causes AD?
With regard to genetic factors it is believed that there are a few genes that contribute to the likelihood of developing AD (this is late onset AD, by the way - the kind of Alzheimer’s that appears after the age of 65). However, there is one particular gene that is seen as a potential risk for AD: the gene that produces the protein apolipoprotein E - ApoE. Individuals with the gene that produces the ApoE4 variant, when compared to the rest of the population, are at a higher risk of developing late onset AD.
Nevertheless, it is very important to keep in mind that the development of AD depends on the interaction of environmental, health and genetic factors. It is also important to have the understanding that old age does NOT necessarily come with AD, or any other type of dementia, for that matter.
And this is when the inevitable question arises:
My 78 year-old uncle is forgetful
Uncle Joseph forgets to take his medication, forgets to water his wife’s flowers, forgets where he put the invitation that the postman delivered. Gosh, the list goes on. That makes auntie T. absolutely mad; but then, she gets worried.
‘Abi, does Joseph have dementia?’
Naah ... look at the things uncle Joseph forgets! On the other hand, he doesn’t forget when his favourite football team’s game is on, or when his pension is going to be deposited in his bank account. More importantly, uncle Joseph can still make rational decisions, he still retains his social manners, and except when his football team is on a losing streak his mood is pretty stable. He is also constantly aware of who he is, who his family members are as well as his acquaintances.
What he has is normal age-related memory decline and a very sweet wife!
To learn more about the normal decline that aging brings to our cognitive functions, please take a look at @dysfunctional’s latest post: Understanding Brain Aging.
Early Diagnosis
Still, just in case there is an elderly family member of yours who, besides a certain level of memory loss, is also behaving out of character, losing awareness of where they are, or of time (day, month, year), it is important to have them examined by a clinician.
To screen individuals for dementia clinicians normally rely on the MMSE , the CDR and the FAST. An early diagnosis can sometimes delay the progress of this disease. Individuals diagnosed with AD can live for up to 10 years, a period which their cognitive abilities will progressively decline.
Prevention
You will be surprised to learn how simple it is to adopt measures that can help prevent the development of the types of dementias we discussed here:
- Adopt some form of intellectual activity – active reading, creative writing (hellooo, Steemit!)
- Reduce the amount of sugary/processed foods in your diet. There is evidence that Alzheimer’s represents a form of diabetes, in some medical circles it is even referred to as Diabetes Type 3 – this is material for a post on its own!
- Move that body – get up, tidy up your surroundings, go for a walk, dance with the children (and the husband), go for a bike ride, to the gym.
- Practice mindfulness – engage with the present moment, accept both your happy and sad moments, remain aware of what is around you, breath in .... breath out.
- Keep on learning new things – a new recipe, drawing, how to cultivate herbs, and make sure you share it with us here on Steemit.
So, which one of the measures listed above are you implementing on your daily routine? I don’t mean to show off or anything like that, but except mindfulness, I follow all the others 😎
Reference List:
Cavalieri, M. Enzinger, C., Petrovic, K., Pluta-Fuerst, A. Homayoon, N., Schmidt, H. et al. (2010) ‘Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s dementia – are in a dead end road?, Neurodegenerative diseases, vol. 7, nos 1-3, pp. 122-6.
Innes, A. (2009) Dementia Studies, London, SAGE Publications Ltd.
Klein, W.L (2006) ‘Synaptic targeting by AB oligomers (ADDLS) as a basis for memory loss in early Alzheimer’s disease, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, vol. 2, pp. 43 -55.
Image source – Pixabay & Winkimedia: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Dear Reader,
It has been a month since I last posted on my blog, and this is because I am struggling a little to deal with all the things I have going on at the moment. 😅 My routine will only get back to normal towards the end of May, when I will be back posting on a weekly basis. I am very much looking forward to that time.
I would like to thank each one of you who has left me comments and messages asking after me. You are just too kind ❤
I hope this post has enlightened you a little about this topic. And because I know this isn’t a topic that is often discussed, I would love to hear what you have learnt here about dementia. I will slowly, but surely, reply to your comments over the coming weeks.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to read my long post.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend! 😊
Hi @abigail-dantes I am so glad and moved you did this post (and what a great post it is).
I did have a fairly lengthy reply on this but elected to not post it out of respect to my other family members, but would be happy to DM you some notes on discord if you wish. It would also allow me to expand on it, but would take a few days to write if that's OK?
I will say when my father, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia 2 years ago, got the care he needed he showed a large amount of improvement, not just in mind, but in body.
Oh @terrylovejoy,
How wonderful to see you here! Please, feel free to DM me. It is my pleasure.
Thank you so much for stopping by 😊
I sometimes wonder if the afterlife was fashioned after things like that, or at least influenced by. My dad was also having hallucinations a couple months before he died, but there was no dementia that we knew of. Perhaps he was just confusing dreams with reality.
The "My 78 year-old uncle is forgetful" section was a nice addition. WebMD should employ a person like you!
Glad to see you back in action btw!
Oh! Thank you for your kind, kind words @alexander.alexis. It means a lot coming from you :)
All the best to you always.
Amazing :) , thanks alot :)
Hello Abigail! What you told us about gives another reason to be more attentive to our close people. My parents are retired, my father loves active rest and fishing, my mother likes to work in the garden. They sometimes do hard physical work for their age and I worry about it. You showed me this situation from the other side. For older people, it is very important to be toned and not to relax.
Thank you for your useful information.
This is such a beautiful thing for you to say @nsbachurin :)
It looks like your parents are doing the right thing. Being physically and mentally active it is good for the general health of not only older people, but of young people too!
Thank you for your nice comment. It means a lot to me :)
Hello @ abigail-dantes, it's a good thing that you've returned, this topic reminds me of my grandmother, who was sick and forgot things, had difficulty to domir, and suddenly changed her mood, I guess she had some kind of dementia, I really do not know, I never took a specialist for that cause, what I do know is that the care that should be taken with these people is unique.
for example, the issue of frontotemporal dementia can be particularly difficult for caregivers because, unlike other forms of dementia, it can affect younger individuals who still work or have children living in their homes. This disease can affect the ability to make decisions very early, so it is important that people start making legal and financial decisions very soon after the disease is present. In addition to fixing power of indeterminate duration, caregivers should also consider a driver's evaluation for their loved ones, before driving becomes a problem.
Caregivers should encourage their loved ones to participate in support groups for individuals with frontotemporal dementia, either in person or online. These interactions can be an important way to deal with a disease that others often do not understand.
It is a bit comforting to know that if it is diagnosed early, the disease can be delayed a little as well as the prevention that we must have so as not to suffer it, for example in the case of food, we are very disordered, we do not comply with a balanced diet and in as many movements we lead very sedentary lives, we do not practice any sport because the life so accelerated that we have in these times does not allow it.
Thank you very much abigail, continue with your high quality post, I hope you soon.
Dear @urbano579,
I am very impressed by your deep reflection and understanding of the post! I also appreciate very much that you even related it to your granny.
All the observations you made here about cases of early onset dementia - as it happens in frontotemporal cases - are very important. But, also overwhelming. Dementia is an under diagnosed disease, and this is because not much is discussed about it.
Thank you so very much for your most incredible feedback. It means a lot to me!
All the best to you :D
Wow! Abbey is back.
I've heard about dementia but never seen it in so much details like this.
In the prevention you gave, this particular statement got me
I never knew blogging is actually good medically.
Nice piece ma'am
Oh yes, it is one of the best because you get to use your brain intensively. I would say it's much better than just reading because you also activate your speech centers. When testing for brain activity levels, the people having the most active zones in their brains were the ones playing strategy games and computer managerial simulators, followed by creative writers. I don't remember what study was that but I could try to find it again.
Wow! This is so cool. Thanks
Sammmyyyy 😊
Until June I am only partially back!
Yep, writing is very, very good to get those brain networks all fired up !
Lots of love to you my dear :*
Wow! I guess my brain network must have been fired up by writing :)
Lots of love ma'am
She is back
Yay! @abigail-dantes is back!!
I've been looking forward to reading your next post! I can understand that you might have just too much going on with life right now! Glad you're back and looking forward to reading from you on a daily basis in six weeks from now or so!
I'm really glad to see you taking the chance to raise awareness regarding vascular dementia. I think most people know little to nothing about this condition. I also loved the fact that you shared information concerning the possible causes as well as tips for prevention.
Matter of fact this was a simplified, enjoyable piece which included quality information.
Thank you so much for your efforts!
Stay awesome!
Hey @lordneroo ❤
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment. It pleases me very much to hear you found this piece enjoyable and straight-forward. I still have to work on keeping my writing concise, though 😅
One day I will get there!
Take care :)
So happy to read again an informative post from you ms. @abigail-dantes
😁😁😁 maybe I should ask my mom to join us here on steemit...
Most of my grandparents had dementia. 😔😔😔
I think I can do this but drawing... i can only draw flower with 5 petals... 😁😁😁
This is a great informative post thank you for this now I have measures that I can follow to prevent dementia And I can also share this to my loved ones especially my parents...
Thank you ms. Abi on your big support to us and I wish everything will be fine so you can be back on you regular blogging ...
Much Love,
A V H Y 😘😘😘
I am happy to see you have not forgotten me my dear :D
Considering your grandparents had dementia, it is even more important for your mum (and you too) to always keep active, both physically and mentally!
It looks like we are both very 'talented' at drawing 😅
Much love to you too from Portugal! 😘
Thank you ms. Abi...😊😊😘❤️
My grandfather passed away when I was little. But as I remembered during the first time I met him he couldnt recognize me at all though my father kept on telling him that I'm his granddaughter. And according to my cousins and close relatives he was totally helpless. He needs to be taken cared of all the time. During meal time,taking baths and sleeping. He also had a hard time controlling his bowels and bladder. He was suffering from AD at that time and though I might not understand what's happening to my grandpa I always knew that he was suffering from AD.
I'm glad I get to read your amazing post once again dear. As I have mentioned on my own blog I missed you and your great articles @abigail-dantes. Im happy that youre back and you are once again fascinate us with your psychology articles. It really is important that we are knowledgeable with AD so as to understand what the older people are suffering from & of course so that we can help them. I hope you are still doing well there in Portugal. 😚😙😚😙😊
I am sorry to hear about your grandpa @sakura1012, it is always heart-breaking to see someone living with dementia going through those stages. Even more so when is a loved one! The comforting thing, from the perspective of the patient, is that their lack of awareness frees them from feeling ashamed.
Thank you so very much my dear for your invaluable and constant support! Your loving words and comments always motivate me and make me smile. I am doing well over here, but just have a lot on my plate at the moment!
You take care and keep on with that beautiful work of yours. You have come a long way Sakura. I am SO very proud of you and will never get tired of saying so 😍
I totally understand how busy you are & look at the number of people who misses you. You are loved dear by everyone including me. 😊 Always remember that you are my number 1 inspiration here in the platform and you will always got my back. 🌸
First off: I told you u'd be coming back. :P
Second: Dementia is the dread of almost everyone I speak with about getting older. Most of us don't fear death as much as we fear losing our wits.
That said, I had no idea there were other forms of dementia than AD. So your post was very interesting to read, thank you.
Oh! So glad to hear you found some new information here @sco 😊 Dementia is a frightening thing indeed, even more so when one comes across people living with it. I suppose that the good news is that we don't have to feel doomed as there are simple actions we can take to, if not prevent it altogether, at least delay it!
All the best my dear.
Take care :)
ohhh my dear @ abigail-dantes you finally came back to offer us these interesting and important topics. sadly I am going through a similar case with my mother: (since she suffers from mental disorders such as schizophrenia, hallucinations and delusions.) It has been very hard for the family since they are several years trying to cope with their illness without losing patience. It is strong because we must understand that the things to which she refers are a reality very different from ours and there is no one to make her think otherwise, nowadays it is difficult or almost impossible to keep her under treatment because of the serious situation in the country. in the economic, political and social aspect that we are going through, which leads to the high cost of medicines and the inexistence in pharmacies.It helped your post because I like to learn every day and I like the theme.
Thank you very much for that. regards!!! come back soon :))
Oh my God dear @rosnely, I am sorry to hear about your mum. I cannot imagine how hard and draining this must be for you and your family. But, you are so right when you say that her reality is different from yours. You have my most profound respect for dealing with this situation under the circumstances Venezuela is in. I send you, your mum and your family all my love from Portugal :)
thank you for your words my dear friend @ abigail-dantes and if it is a very difficult situation that gives me sadness and frustration of not being able to continue your medication as they are not available and if there are very expensive, you would need at least 5 minimum salaries to be able to buy the medicine for a month. : (( and if I am honest this means helps me to be able to save for the purchase of the medicine. and grateful to you for your help, be it intellectual and with your voting support.
Another of your fine articles.
I still have my initial Steemit project in the back of my mind in which I want to use the retired people's time and make them curate people from the rural areas or basically anyone who would agree to learn.
Project spinoffs would be to have native English speakers monitor a specific tag in which English newbies would post shorts texts describing their day ( in Engrish - or as good as they can ) and the native English would write comments which are correct.
Anyway - staying on subject - I think that much more could be done to reduce the aging effects by educating people about the benefits. Old people are not grumpy and upset without reason, most of them would be happy to be involved in social events.
In the end my goal is to have everyone win something:
Sorry for babbling on the edge of the subject but I felt as you have the same views on this. I couldn't add anything else to your article even if i wanted to :P
This is a beautiful project @alexdory. I must say I am impressed by your ideas towards communities, groups of people and initiatives in general. There is one thing you said here that I particularly liked:
With keeping this in mind a lot could be done for the well-being of the elderly. And that is exactly why you have come up with such a beautiful idea, because you have this insight. Perhaps, most importantly, is that a project like yours would also keep them from feeling lonely.
Thank you for taking the time to share your ideas here my dear.
I wish you all the best always!
abigail-dantes has posted!
I like to relate old age and its commonly associated diseases to an old car. Those with old cars can quite relate. The normal wears and tears of youthful life translate into varieties of diseases at old age. Some of these wears and tears turns on/off certain genes within the human genomes and hence, varieties of diseases.
Having said all that, I would have loved to see statistics on the prevalence of the diseases you wrote about, especially here in Africa where I do not think the wears and tears of life result in these kinds of diseases in several cases. Eye problems, arthritis are the two major problems around here as far as old age is concerned. I stand to be corrected.
This is incredibly well put Shaid :)
It is interesting you say in Nigeria the prevalence of dementia is low. I came across an Alzheimer's disease international consensus by WHO, and Africa was among the lowest rates. However, it is speculated that it might be due to different assessment criteria, which often depends upon cultural aspects and diagnostic practices.
All the best my dear :)
thanks :)
Hey @abigail-dantes !
Where have you been? I missed your posts. Glad that you are back on track and on fire with this one.
By the way, I don't know how this happened but I just posted similar post about brain aging, but without the details you explored here. Your article somehow completes mine. Wow.
Best regards to you and hopefully you would be more active here with great content !
:))
I just gotta say you made such a sad, emotional, and unfortunate disease a fun experience to read dear Abby :) And the prevention advise is fantastic!
And I would love to see you dedicate a post about ghosts too :D :D
My dear, dear @mcfarhat ❤
You never fail to stop by and leave your kind words! Thank you so much much for your constant support and encouragement! :)
Ha! Ghosts, right? Well, you are not the first one to request this!
I will most definitely write about it and already have in mind the sort of material I need to gather to get that post going. We will be talking about spooky things here in June, for sure! Don't be scared!! 😃
Much love to you and the family from Portugal! :)
First of all, welcome again my dear @abigail-dantes. waiting for your publications to make us acquire more knowledge. and how not to learn from you this I did not know:
in this case my mother-in-law suffers a similar case because several years ago I began with hallucinations and aggression states added to the loss or mental lacunae ... thanks for your post greetings my friend ..
Hello dear @catire383 :)
It is always great to see your comments on my feed. Although, I am sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. This is something that families really have to be strong and united to face. But, it is also important to not jump to conclusions. Only a clinician could provide a definite diagnosis.
I send you and your family all my love! :)
thanks immensely your words fill me with hope and motivate me to get ahead. have a happy day.
So, you've recovered from the drinking week.
Horrible examples of Bill and Clara’s grandmother. It seems to me that presenting such examples is one of the best ways to raise awareness about all of the troubles that (can) come with dementia.
That said, I would love to hang out with the sweet Mrs. Molly for sure. 😊
Looking forward to the end of May, and every now and then in between, my dear! : )
My dear @lifenbeauty,
You know your lovely, thoughtful comments always make me smile, right? Thank you for always taking the time to support my work here and provide feedback!
Mrs. Molly lived in a most fantastic (fantasy) world indeed, and her smiley face always warmed my heart!
Lots of love to you!
Take Care :*
Dear abigail, it's good to see a post from you again, I'm glad you came back.
this post brought to my memory a neighbor of my parents' house, she sometimes had attacks, mood changes, took pills to sleep and had her in control with a specialist, she had a dementia, but I do not know what type it was, but She was young when she began to suffer from this disease,and Alzheimer's, is an existing disease in my maternal family, many of the adults have died not knowing who they were themselves, because they lost their memory totally, this disease that terrifies me has led me to read a lot about it.
Affectation of personality, behavior and language is greater than in Alzheimer's disease, while memory impairment is lower.
Dementia is the slow and progressive decline of mental function, including memory, thinking, judgment and the ability to learn. Dementia is different from delirium, characterized by inability to pay attention, disorientation, inability to think clearly and fluctuations in alertness.
Dementia mainly affects memory, while delirium mainly affects the ability to pay attention.
Dementia usually begins little by little and has no definite starting point. Delirium begins suddenly and often has a definite start time.
Approximately one in 10 dementias is frontotemporal. In general, dementia develops in children under 65 years of age. Men and women are affected approximately equally.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a general term to describe the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities and is so severe that it interferes with the individual's daily life. Alzheimer's accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the cases of dementia, It is a brain disease that causes problems with memory, the way of thinking and the character or the way of behaving.
Alzheimer's gets worse over time and is fatal. Although there are many symptoms, most people experience severe memory loss that affects daily activities and the ability to enjoy hobbies that the person enjoyed previously. Other symptoms are confusion, disorientation in familiar places, placement of objects out of place.
It is very sad to see how our loved ones forget about us and even about themselves, for my opinion it is a death in life, but it is good to know that there are preventive methods, thank you very much for the friendly information, good post ....
Oh @stefany12, I appreciate very much all the information you took the time to share here with us. I am guessing that due to the early onset and other family members having also presented the disorder, the type of dementia that your parent's neighbour developed must have been a familial AD type.
Thank you for stopping by my dear. You take good care of yourself! :)
You're back @abigail-dantes! I love reading your long long long posts. hehe. It's a true gift when we can age with sharp minds. It's tragic to lose the ability to think properly. What struck me as most profound was the contrast between Ms. Molly and Clara's grandmother because even though both have the cognitive deficiencies, it's clear that Ms. Molly still has joy. And, that is a miracle in itself. Much love! 😍
Until June, I am only partially back 😊 How have you been my dear, dear @karencarrens? It is always nice to hear you like my - long - posts!
I agree so much with you with regard to how AD can develop so differently from person to person. Still trying to figure out why, particularly in relation to mood, but haven't succeeded yet!
Much, much love to you always!😘
I read the post by @saho and this one is another epic one on these "diseases of the mind". I am not a doctor or a psychologist but i have been learning quite a few things on psychology thanks to some steemstem authors.
I observed that the symptoms of some of these diseases are similar and some can only be pinpointed by proper diagnosis.
We cant wait to have you back to your weekly writing. Have a nice weekend too.
Hello @rharphelle :)
Thank you for taking the time to stop by! You are absolutely right when you point out the similarities between the symptoms of the aforementioned types of dementias, which become more alike one another at the later stages of the disease.
But please note, that unlike conditions such as depression or anxiety, dementia is not a "disease of the mind", as you mentioned above. It is rather a disease of the brain.
All the best to you!
Pardon me for mixing things up. I'm still trying to get a hold of these things.
Thanks for your kind reply. Hopefully, i might get a steemit degree in psychology if i keep reading your blog 😁
You are allowed to mix things up here @rharphelle. This is a very efficient way to learn things! You see, when someone with dementia dies and have their brain examined, there will be many physical signs : plaques, tangles, atrophy. You can actually see them. This is why we say it is a disease of the brain.
However, when someone who, let's say, has been severely depressed for years, dies. If his post-mortem brain is examined, there won't be a single physical evidence showing that individual suffered from depression. This is why we say it is a disease of the mind.
Well, you sure are on your way to your "Steemit Psychology Degree" my dear 😘
Now i have a clearer view of the terms. Thanks for explaining. 😁
Hi friend @abigail-dantes, it's good to know that you came back, I already missed your publications, always so educational, it's good to know this information since we are surrounded by many adults, who sometimes have behaviors that we do not understand and instead of realizing that they could to be suffering from some kind of dementia, what we do is to get angry, criticize and often even treat them badly, precisely because of the lack of information about this type of problems.
Frequently, frontotemporal dementia can be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimer's disease. However, frontotemporal dementia tends to occur at a younger age than Alzheimer's disease, generally between 40 and 45 years, which is why at the time of diagnosis the specialist must take these symptoms into account.
It is possible that more than one group of symptoms is present in a single person.
The signs and symptoms of frontotemporal dementia progressively get worse over time, almost always with the years. Sooner or later, people will need 24-hour care, which becomes hard both for the patient and their family members.
Alterations of speech and language
Some subtypes of frontotemporal dementia are characterized by impairment or loss of speech, as well as language-related difficulties.
There are two types of progressive primary aphasia that are considered frontotemporal dementia. Progressive primary aphasia is characterized by an increasing difficulty in using and understanding written and spoken language. For example, people may have trouble finding the right word they want to use when speaking or naming objects.
Semantic dementia is a type of progressive primary aphasia. It is also known as the semantic variable of progressive primary aphasia. People with semantic dementia have significant difficulties in naming objects (anomie) and are likely to replace a specific word with a more general one, such as "it" instead of "pen". They may also lose the knowledge of the meaning of words.
Progressive Agrammatic (non-fluent) aphasia is another type of progressive primary aphasia that is characterized by non-fluent speech, that is, hesitant. The speech may sound telegraphic, with improper use of pronouns and errors in the construction of sentences.
Well this topic is broad and I like it a lot, we have to consider the people who suffer from these disorders, we must take care of them and offer them all the understanding and possible love.
My dear @mili2088
Out of all the incredible information you kindly shared with us here; in my opinion, these are the words which struck me the most.
This is a very, very important insight! Thank you for pointing this out! 😍
Wow, that was a great article. Very informative. I do not know very much about the different forms of dementia so I really learned a lot.
I find it interesting that it typically begins in the hippocampus because meditation has been shown to grow grey matter in certain areas of the brain - the hippocampus being one of them. You also mentioned that mindfulness (basically a form of meditation) can be a preventative measure to brain degeneration disorders.
In a way, it seems as though the brain has a built in mechanism to protect itself and its as simple as just slowing down and being in the moment.
There is obviously more to it than that. Its not a simple issue with an easy fix. As you said, an individuals genetics interacts with their environment so there are probably many things involved in this complex issue. But, I still find it fascinating that the brain has so much power to heal itself and the body.
Glad you're back to writing. I missed your psychology based articles :)
Hey @leaky20 :)
It is nice to see your comment here. Thank you for taking the time!
I really like how you put this:
When I was reading about frontotemporal dementia I couldn't stop thinking about some of the studies about meditation that I have come across, which shows how daily mindful meditation increases activity in the frontal lobe. And of course, many others that also involve the hippocampus too.
Well, one day I will get there :)
Oh, by the way, if I may say, both you and your wife are incredibly good-looking! 😊
All the best to you both :)
Yeah its really interesting some of the research that is being done on meditation these days. Its pretty exciting.
Thanks for the complement about my wife and I. I appreciate it :)
Hello dear Abigail, it is a pleasure to have here again with your post that although long as you say, they are very very educational and necessary, you always mention important things that were totally unknown to me.
For example today I learned this:
I did not know that my personality lived there and where my emotions are controlled.
__
Well thank God I read a lot and Steemit has put me to read more, and I move enough, I'm super restless and now I just registered in the gym. In the sugar I reprobate I can not avoid eating chocolate cake almost every day, I love chocolate :(
I hope you find yourself well, have a nice weekend, blessings;)
Hello my dearest @cthkrn. It is great to see you here. How have you been?
I am pleased you found a new piece of information in my post!
It made me happy to hear you are reading more and that you have joined the gym. Being active and engaging with intellectual activities is good not only to prevent dementia, but also depression, anxiety and other conditions that are so common nowadays! Don't worry about that chocolate cake 😊 you are young and active!
Lots of love to you my dear,
Take Care!
Well I've been fine thanks to God, with some circumstances, which are normal in life, but fine.
Ooh, well, the gym will be perfect for me then.
❤ ❤
The first time I saw an Alzheimer Dementia case was a year ago at the clinic. While I was on my neurology posting. It was a man in his 60s and I knew his wife.
He was physically okay and at least I felt he wouldn't die any soon.
Less than a month after, I saw his wife dressed in white which is something that describes a woman who has lost her husband. I needed no one to tell me that he was no more. It was really painful.
Thanks for this. Early diagnosis sure makes a difference. A lot of people really need to know more about Alzheimer Dementia.
You inspire me a lot @abigail-dantes. Good to hear from you after a long time.
I didn't know that Dementia was classified as a cause of death. I read another article just now, after reading your comment and found out that in many countries it is actually classified as a cause of death, despite the patient only dying from the complications. Well.. at least this might raise more awareness to the issue, before it is too late.
Yes it is a cause of death. We really need to educate lots of people on this so that they will present early to the hospital.
Hello dear @gee1 :) How have you been?
What a story you have shared with us here. A case of early onset dementia! You are strong for dealing with such painful situations.
All the best to you & lots of love!
I have been good dear.
Thanks dearie
Humm hum hum. To say this is an educative post is an understatement. Sincerely, I got to know about Dementia for the first time, please no one should laugh at me.Am really serious.I don't know wether African folks don't have it, or don't know it exists.....thanks to poor habit of visiting hospital for medical check-up. At times when such symptoms are observed, we may think it spiritual.... Though when you talked about the little boy that run around, and only been seen by your grandma, i was relieved, that it may not be hallucinations ,and could be real.
Am however amazed at the simple preventive measures individuals may take to prevent this diseases. Thanks very much @abigael-dantes for this eye opener post. I have learnt alot about causes, preventive measures, clinical test , symptoms, and some examples of those infected with dementia, and types of it too.
Hello Dear @steepup :)
It makes truly happy to hear my post has enlightened you about this topic.
There are many cultures that will dismiss dementia for regarding it just as an aspect of aging, or for what you said there "it may be considered spiritual". But, it is very important learning about it. Sometimes dismissing a medical condition can just make things more difficult for the person afflicted by it as well as for their family members.
There is only one thing in your comment I would like to make an observation about: dementia is a degenerative disease, not an infection. Ok? :)
Lots of love to you my dear.
Oh thanks for the correction.
😊
It is nice to have you back after such a long time. Can't wait till you start posting regularly.
AD is something that if one isn't careful, might rob us of our latter years. I've have learnt ways to prevent this from happening to me. All those coke and cake I take will have to reduce.
Thanks for this.
Hi @addempsea :) It is nice to have your comment!
I really like the way you worded this:
I think it is because I find it a very efficient way to push us to do something to prevent dementia it right now! It would be wonderful to hear that you have managed to replace those sugary snacks for healthier options :)
Thank you for such nice words my dear,
Take Care :)
Hi @abigail-dantes
'Welcome back' to Steemit I guess :)
It's always a pleasure to read your work and I find I learn something new every time I do so.
It seems like it could be quite easy to bracket this condition into 'a sign of getting old', but from the above I gather that it may not be just the aging that can be affected?
I'm glad you included a list of 'preventative measures, this was a question I was planning on asking prior to visiting this section :)
The list is fairly self explanatory, and I would word my 5 second self-assessment as 'doing ok, could do better'.
Thank you as always for your detailed and well researched work, and have yourself a great weekend too!
Asher
Hello dear @abh12345 :)
It is always wonderful to see your thoughtful comments on my feed! I am very pleased to hear that the post delivered all the information you expected to see here about dementia.
I hope I have understood this question correctly. Let's see :)
It is very important to keep in mind that old age does NOT necessarily come with dementia. Even individuals who carry the ApoE4 variant won't necessarily develop the disease, provided their environmental factors as well as mental and physical health can balance things out.
However, this is with regard to late onset dementia. For those who carry genes that can cause them to develop frontotemporal or familial AD; then, it becomes more complex. As they can start showing symptoms in their late 40's and 50's.
There is a beautiful (but also sad) movie called Still Alice that illustrates a case of early onset dementia. It is worth watching as it gives an incredible insight into what the patient and their families go through.
All the best to you always my dear.
Thank you very much for your constant support!
Hello again Abigail
Yes you understood my question, I escaped the grammarbot but i do think it was perhaps missing a comma somewhere :)
Ok, now I'm clear. Lifestyle is a factor (I wonder to what extent? % wise) if you have the variant.
I have been out for a cycle today and so that's perked me up and warmed me up, a healthy meal this evening and I shall have ticked most of the boxes again :)
Thanks for taking the time to respond, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Asher
And she's back!
Welcome from your very long hiatus @abigail-dantes we have indeed missed you. I have been waiting for this come-back post, and i must say it is quite a piece.
Dementia is somewhat of a dreadful phase in human existence. It pretty much seems like the withering and slowly declining phase in human lives.
I've always heard of and know people around who suffer from the condition, and it is really a pitiful condition. And to know that some of our lifestyle decision and activities, daily contribute to the indirect journey towards dementia is quite scary too.
Thanks for the pointers in this post with regards to prevention of dementia.
Hopefully, more expository articles like this would help people learn to live healthy, adopt a better lifestyle and as much as possible stay lucid even while aging. Glad to have you back @abigail-dantes, even though it is conditional.
My dearest @rickie,
You are always so infinitely kind to me :) Thank you for your always encouraging words!
I would like, however, just to point out something here:
I find very important to highlight that getting old does NOT mean getting dementia. This is not an inevitable phase of human life. Many people live up to 100 years without developing any form of dementia :)
Lots of love to you always 😘
Oh yea! You are absolutely right. I got it wrong on that account. Dementia isn't a general condition for the aging people. You are right. Thanks for pointing out that.
Lots of love to you and yours too @abigail-dantes.
the story of your grandma seeing littleboy running but is actually a ghost is so creepy miss Abi 😱. and was amazed and also a bit saddened that for a girl she had smoked like for her entire life, i still wish my partner would stop smoking now for like you'vesaid it can be one of the risk factor ,aside from diabetes , high blood pressure and such.
For Uncle Joseph story , i liked how you've explained his situation , and this part wasmy fave
I believe on your preventions list the only thing i can't check is reducing the sugary intake! oh no ! i am really into sweets ! LOL. But the rest i think i am doing them hahaha, specially the , hello! steemit! 😂
And of course i would like to tell you miss @abigail-dantes that we miss you sooo much!!! i am not sure if you'd received mine and my sister's message through wallet, haha , don't know how we can message you. But again i wanna thank you for your support to us, super duper duper thank you!!! i am so happy i've read your post again , yey!!
God bless you more and more miss abi , have a wonderful day ahead. much love from us always ❤️❤️❤️😘
@zephalexia, it looks like someone is afraid of ghosts! 😉 I am too, even though I don't believe they exist 😂
What can we do for your partner to stop smoking!? Gosh... it feels like "Mission Impossible!"
On the other hand, I am glad to hear you are following at least most of the preventive measures! This is really good and you will benefit greatly from it in the long-term future! :)
I miss blogging and receiving your loving comments too my dear. My life is very busy at the moment, but I always take a few minutes to check you and the minis ... Thank YOU for always reading my posts and leaving such beautiful feedback. It means a lot to me ❤️
I saw your messages! Thank you so much. One day I will catch up with all the challenges I have been nominated for! Gosh ... 😅
Lots of love to you and the minis.
Take good care of yourself! :)
Woow, what good to know about you dear Abigail, I hope you find yourself well, and that the things that are happening and do not allow you to publish as you used to do, are good ...
Seriously these types of dementia can be prevented?
Look, it's something I really do not know about completely. And even without knowing it I always took great care of myself, I remember that before things got difficult I took great care of my diet, and I took medication for the vitality and health of my body, vitamin B12, she always accompanied me ..
Of the things that you mention, right now I do not consume sugary products although sometimes the temptation and the cravings are strong.
And moving the body, jaaa, that's the most I know how to do, I'm always adjusting my surroundings (my home) my children always tell me: "why do not you take a seat for a quiet second" I'm always here and there.
I am so pleased to hear about your eating habits and your daily routine @luisateresa :) But, don't forget about mindfulness. It is important to stop from time to time just to breathe, get in touch with our thoughts and emotions. This is something I also need to work on!!
Thank you for commenting my dear.
All the best to you :)
Hey Abi!
Nice to read something from you. It was indeed a long time. I have nothing to really say, as usual, as this is very far from what I do ni my everyday's life. I may however ask a little joke-ish question: what is a real ghost? :D
Anyways, I am looking forward to your return! I hope things are all good in Portugal!
Oh @lemouth ❤️
Thank you for the warm comment.
What Is a real ghost?! 😂 Well, I don’t believe in ghosts ...
But, because so many people made a comment about it I now feel compelled to write about “ghosts” here on my blog! 😃
All the best to you & take care during your travels :)
But ghosts exist! Take for instance quantum chromodynamics (the quantum theory of the strong interactions). There are several ways to do any calculation, and one of them allows to introduce non-physical stuff in the calculations in order to simplify them. But then, one needs to remove those unphysical components at the end of the day. This is achieved by means of ghost contributions...
[I over simplified it but I feel this is still tough to get :p]
Here are our ghosts, special quantum fields. Ok, I agree this is not what anyone who may think about :D
Quantum chromodynamics? I was thinking of something more in the lines of Anton’s syndrome, psychotic episodes, halluciantions etc... to explain ghosts 😅
Oh by the way, you have failed at simplifying that 😛
No time to succeed and no blackboard. Hard to explain without equations. This is terribly technical :D
😅
Hello abigail-dantes, how I missed reading your article, glad to finally get this experience once more and can't wait to see you finally back.
Growing up, I had a friend who's grandma was showing some of the signs talked about in your article, mostly the part of getting angry at unnecessary things and memory loss. As a kid, I don't enjoy visiting there because that got me thinking I might someday be like that when old age sets.
Its actually feels bad to get to remind a loved one who you are with time, if only time would be reversed. I liked to finally read the section on prevention, not currently taking some up but this push is just what I needed. Thanks abigail-dantes, cant wait for more from you :)
Hello @logic42 :)
You have raised a very interesting point here: for a kid, witnessing someone living with dementia is very confusing indeed. Particularly in the cases when the person becomes sad and hostile. And you are right, it is heart-breaking thinking of such cases, even more so when they involve our loved ones. But, like you said, the prevention steps to be followed are SO simple that there is no excuse really for us to adopt and also for us to motivate the elderly members of our family to do the same!
Take Care my dear :)
I was wondering when I'd see another one of your posts. This one hits home for me as my Grandpa suffered from Alzheimer's. I almost joined a lab that studied the disease, but ultimately was chose against it because the PI was a bit forgetful (if that's not irony, I don't know what is :P ). Either way, I'm always interested in learning about dementia and you put a fantastic personal touch on the subject. Thanks!
Hello @tking77798 :)
I am sorry to hear about your grandpa! I am sure he was very much loved and well looked after.
Oh my God!! ahahahah 😅
Thank you for stopping by :) I am so glad to hear you liked the post!
Take care! :*
And she is back @abigail-dantes, if i may add There are several forms of FTD that lead to slightly different behavioral, language and/or motor symptoms. Due to the symptoms, people with FTD are often misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric problems (such as depression, manic-depression, obsessive-compulsive disease or schizophrenia), vascular dementia or Parkinson’s disease. It's always nice to read your post. Nice piece
I am glad to hear you liked this post dear @saho!
Thank you for enriching this discussion with all the information you shared with us in your comment :)
All the very best to you.
Friend @ abigail-dantes, what a good post, I like many issues that have to do with psychology, I had read and heard about dementia and Alzheimer's, but I do not know much about it.
These are symptoms that sometimes we present or some of our relatives and we do not take it into account, we associate it with stress or fatigue, not knowing that it can be a dementia and that its early arrest can help us to delay the disease and have a better quality of life, thanks to you abigail I knew this, I did not know that these diseases can be prevented and also delayed in case of suffering them, as long as the measures explained here are taken.
Thanks for this important information, I will be aware of my parents and I will encourage them to exercise and eat healthier as a preventive method of these and other diseases.
So glad to hear you are going motivate your parents to be more active @adrian0579! :)
Thank you for your comment. I am very happy to hear you learnt something from my post!
All the best :)
Hello, how nice to have you back, it's nice to read you, I love your whole post, they are very healthy and nutritious haha (haha I do not talk about food)
Look, it's important a point that you mention, many people ignore the subject saying that their parents have alzhaimer, just because they forget things like the ones that Uncle Joseph forgets, and knowing that this can be prevented is really important for me, I thought you were things came with old age, which was sure that an old man would give alzhaimer.
Greetings dear, I hope you are very well.
Hi @karinavb,
Yes! I like that you observations about AD. Whilst we need to be careful and adopt a healthy life style to prevent not only dementia, but other conditions, we need not to hurry just because someone is forgetful! :)
Thank you for stopping by and always leaving such kind words my dear.
All the best to you :)
Hola mi estimada, definitivamente un tema muy peculiar...
Tuve la dicha de gozar de la compañía de mi abuela paterna hasta sus 84 años, hoy pudo decir que fue para mi esa personita que a pesar de su rara enfermedad de anemia solo carecía de su vista, pero su memoria, que cosa tan maravillosa!!! cuando escuchaba mi voz y podía decirme: Dios te bendiga Jayomara...
He conocido de casos de Demencia de Alzheimer pero por otras personas, y podria decir que es duro lidiar con este tipo de problemas. Es sumamente importante este tipo de información, es una forma de nutrirnos y así poder entender muchas cosas si en dado caso nos pasa esto en el hogar, ya seria una forma de poder entender el porque de estas cosas y quizás como hacer para poder buscar posibles soluciones.
Muy lindo tema a tratar, esperando en Dios poder seguir leyendo sus escrito, un fuerte abrazo.
Hello my dear @jayoxaju, it is always so nice to see your comments on my feed. Sorry for the late reply!
It is so beautiful to hear about a lucid, healthy elderly person. Even more so when they are our family members. Your granny's good brain/mental health is a positive indicator for your parent's old age too!
It is very hard indeed to look after a loved one living with dementia, and even though Mrs. Molly's dementia developed in a way that didn't turn her into a hostile person, it was still very demanding for her daughter, who was often saddened by the fact her mum 'wasn't there' anymore. Still, when we look back we mostly smile as a result of the 'fantastic' world she lived in.
Like you said, the understanding of topics such as this can sometimes save families and relationships, as it helps one to deal better with a situation that can be very emotionally draining. Well, education is always the best path to take!
I wish you and your family are all fine :*
All the best to you always.
No se preocupe, por la demora al responderme...
Se que debe ser una locura responder a tantas personas que nos encontramos tan interesados en sus temas..
Así es! de pronto lo de la señora Molly pudo ser que tuviera un comportamiento mas dócil a pesar de su condición mental,pero es como dice.. Es algo agotador emocionalmente puesto que es la persona que tanto amamos y conocemos pero con pensamientos e ideas muy alejadas a lo que un día ella pudo ser, me atreveria a decir, que eso es causa de mucha tristeza para los familiares..
Quiero aprovechar y espero en Dios no me vea como una abusadora, y si de pronto eso sucede pido disculpas de ante mano.. Estoy junto con un compañero llamado @ropavejero en un proyecto de ayuda social para el preescolar donde un día trabaje... Dicho esto, quería pedirle si esta bajo sus posibilidades una vez que lancemos el proyecto (posiblemente es este jueves) por favor me ayude ya que de verdad lo que trato de encontrar para esta institución es de suma importancia no solo para mi sino para cada niño y niña que se encuentran recibiendo educación en esas instalaciones.
Sin mas que decirle, le envío un fuerte abrazo...
hello @abigail-dantes I'm new to steemit and I stumbled upon your post, which I really thought was wonderful. You really do a great job. in my case I help, I am a person who does little physical activity, the great thing is that I do not have the cigar habit, nor drinks, but when reading your content it makes me be alert and know that age plus bad habits can lead us to death at a young age. Greetings and have happy afternoon.
Hello @elinor301 :)
Thank you for your kind words about my post! It is great to hear you don't drink and smoke. Now, there is only one measure you need to put in practice and pave the way towards optimal mental and physical health: get that body moving :) Nowadays, I don't have a lot of time to exercise either, but I also take 30 minnutes to do some Yoga, then later on I clean around, or walk around the block! I would love to hear later on that you got that going!
All the best to you and welcome to Steemit! :)
ohhh I hope it's not too late for my humble opinion ... firstly I'm glad you came back, we missed your unparalleled post. always nourishing our knowledge and I love that. With reference to the subject exposed the truth is something very complicated because the most people who suffer from these disorders need a lot of patience and dedication to keep them in a suitable environment, there are people who make fun of this type of sick without knowing that someone close or Even they can get to suffer it and go through the same situation, therefore they deserve respect because it is not something they decided to have.
here in Venezuela in recent years has increased the index of these disorders, because although not believe that poor nutrition plays an important role in the wear of the brain and much more in people of the third age, as they do not receive the necessary nutrients and important for the strength of all body systems.
I hope I'm not wrong :)) I wish you have a happy weekend
Nutrition plays indeed a very important role in our mental and physical health and is often taken for granted! I like very much here how you called for respect for the people living with dementia dear @julybm. Thank you very much for a comment filled with kindness and important insights!
All the best to you :)
Very interesting post. And it didn't hurt my brain (too much).
So essentially we have to find ways to stop the decay. - The ageing process.
Are there any drugs available nowadays, to reduce degeneration of the brain?
A totally unscientific observation ( I was 47 ish), but after I quit my carbs in my diet (sugars), my mental acuity increased noticeably.
Especially concentration.
When I 'fall off the wagon' (ie my carb intake increases dramatically ), I am aware that after 7 days or so of increased carb diet, my concetration ability reduces.
From Einstein to a flighty teenage girl in 7 days!
(obviously both extremes are not literal, but you get my point)
I don't know enough about food nutrition, but I do know some, and the more i understand (especially with new science online), it seems to me we have taken the whole 'illness' spectrum of treatments from the top down.
We start with fixing symptoms, when good balanced nutrition from day one, would potentially stave of so many later in life problems..
And when you think about it, it really is common sense.
We are - precisely - what we eat.
How can you expect an optimal outcome, when we build the foundation of our bodies on 'nutritional sand', and then spend years building it up with more sand?...so to speak
With the vast change in dietary habits in the last 60 years, and the onset of things like dementia and Alzheimer's, it adds wight to the argument about it all starting with good healthy nutrition...
Great to have you back posting!
Hello @lucylin :)
How have you been? I hope you and Lucy's son's motorbike are both fine! :)
Before I say anything I just would like to say that my husband and I laughed a LOT at this :
Ahahahahah
It looks like we adopt the same diet approach and views! And it breaks my heart seeing so many people - women in particular - with low energy levels, on a constant battle against the scales and low immunity, purely as a consequence of bad eating habits! But, we have been fed with the wrong information for too long and changing people's habits is a very slow process, if not impossible.
As far as I know, there aren't drugs out there to prevent brain degeneration. However, there supplements out there, which are excellent for overall brain health. Even more so, when they are part of a low-carb diet:
Probiotic
Vitamin D
DHA
Alpha-lipoic Acid
So ... you said this post has inspired you to start an exercise routine once again. How is that going?
ps: Glad to see you are keeping the Irland trip series going! :D
Take care & bye for now!
I never quite realized the extent to which we have been 'dietarliy' conned by vested interests, until a few years ago.
(when I learned of the rockefeller oil empire deciding the educational ethos in western medical universities, and then their establishment of big pharma- you could have knocked me down with a feather!)
Son and bike are fine, thanks!
The only concision supplement I take is seaweed - iodine. It's cheap and plentiful in these parts.
Indeed I was inspired. It is not going at all at the moment, due to a slight crisis.(I don't think you can have a 'slight' crisis, can you?- it's a crisis or it's not, I suppose).
Anyway, my steady income of 15 years,(small, but enough to live) - has just been cut! - just like that without any warning!
Government regulations and banking have made my business model defunct, after 15 years of income.
So my exercise regime has took a back seat- until I work out a way to get around my problem.
If I don't fix the problem- I will need all this fat, to keep me from starving! lol
Hola mi estimada @abigail-dantes, un beso y caluroso abraso! de verdad este tipo de artículos siempre llaman mi atención, ya que soy un paciente que padece epilepsia y no esta demás saber un poco cada día mas sobre este tipo de trastornos cerebrales, sabiendo que cada vez que tengo una crisis convulsiva mi cerebro se degenera poco a poco y de esto estoy consiente, en estos momentos tengo 33 años, y ya no tengo la agilidad mental que cuando tenia 15, ahora bien, tomando en cuenta que todos los cerebros no se comportan de la misma manera soy optimista, hay una serie de malestares que padezco (espero algún día lo investigue) los neurólogos lo llaman "el aura" que es el momento cuando un epiléptico va a tener una crisis y este la avisa, en mi caso tengo esos episodios pero no convulsiono, solo tengo un malestar corporal, otros neurólogos lo llaman un "deja siento" ya que mi lóbulo temporal me juega malas pasadas haciéndome sentir mal.
Ahora bien tomando en cuenta sus recomendaciones para evitar estos trastornos cerebrales hago todo lo que puedo, ya que mi dieta es kosher, leo y hago ejercicios cerebrales, trato de moderar mi trastorno obsesivo con la perfección de las cosas para aceptarlas tal cual son, si hay que llorar lloro, si hay que reír pues río, sigo mi tratamiento con carbamacepina para evitar convulsionar, pero he llegado a una conclusión, que pareciera que este tipo de trastornos son inevitables a pacientes como yo.
Veo el lado bueno! si llego a padecer uno de estos trastornos después de los 80-85 años ya es ganancia, pues puedo decir que viví una vida plena, ya que la biblia dice que los mas robustos viven mas de 80 años jajaja es el promedio de vida en estos tiempos tan difíciles.
Estos casos expuestos me impresionaron mucho, espero que Dios sea misericordioso conmigo ya que tengo mas probabilidades de padecer uno de estos males.
Una vez mas ha expuesto un excelente tema.
My dearest @javisem :)
It is always wonderful to see your deep thoughts in my comment feed. You are such a smart person. I find your health situation very moving and admire and respect very much the way you face it. You are a very brave man! I somehow, already suspected you lived a life of reading, of healthy habits and mental exercise :D
You take care of yourself my dear,
I wish you and your family all the very best always.
Gracias por tus buenos deseos, usted se a ganado el cariño y la estima de mi persona y el de mi familia, también se ha ganado un lugar en nuestras oraciones, gracias por estar pendiente de nuestras publicaciones y votarlas, gracias a esos votos le confieso que podemos llevar comida a nuestros hogares, usted sabe por la situación de extrema pobreza que afrenta mi país, no se mucho sobre sus creencias religiosas, pero solo puedo decir que usted es el ángel que mi Creador a enviado para ayudarnos, Dios le de larga vida y salud y a todos sus familiares.
Con todo mi amor @javisem :)
❤️
Hello friend Abigail, very interesting and informative this topic, since we are all vulnerable to present some kind of dementia, it is important to know the symptoms of the different types of dementias to take the necessary measures to control this situation, as well as the measures for prevent and cope with the disease.
In my particular case, I did not know that people who consume sugary foods are more likely to suffer from some dementia and that Alzheimer's is considered a type of diabetes, just as I did not know that these diseases can be genetic.
Hello @piky
I really appreciate your comment and it makes me really happy to hear that you have found new knowledge through this post! Yes, it turns out that a diet rich in sugar has much more detrimental consequences that those pesky extra kilos they bring!
All the best to you :)
Welcome back, my fair lady! It feels nice to read your post again! :D
I have a friend who lost her grandmother to Alzheimer's. The last days were bad, seeing your relative "go off" little by little. I did not see the old woman too often, but I remember the first time I saw her, months after the diagnosis (it could be a year, maybe? not sure), she behaved like a child, restless and itchy (she got rashes because of the medication she was on).
It is a sneaky disease that takes your beloved one away in more than one ways, first it changes them and then they're gone. A little out of topic, but reading this post and bringing back the image of my friend's grandmother made me wonder, if there is an afterlife, do Alzheimer's patients make it there whole or is it their "lost" mind that moves on? Silly thoughts, don't mind me...
We are now keeping an eye on my grandmother, who turned 75 this year. So far she is doing great, other than some delay in the time she needs to understand some things and being a bit more sensitive and quick-tempered than she used to be.
Thank you for this piece! Many lots of kisses! :)
My dearest @ruth-girl
Sorry to hear about your friend's grandma. Gosh, on top of everything she suffered from bad reactions from the medication! Oh my ... Yes, it is a difficult disease for family member to deal with, for the very reasons you said. Although Mrs. Molly didn't become hostile and never lost control over her bladder and bowels, it was very difficult for her daughter to 'suddenly' deal with the idea that her mother did not know who she was.
It is great to hear that your grandma is healthy and doing well. I am sure that she is very much loved, and that also helps!
As for this question:
I am confident to say this is one of the smartest questions someone has ever asked me! When I read it I was like "wow" what interesting thought process that is! :D You are a smart girl indeed, Ruth.
My guess here would be that they would make it there in the same mental state they 'left' here.
Much love to you always!
You are incredible :)
Yes, I felt sorry to see her like that. It was mostly her daughter, my friend's mother, who could not deal with it. You could sense her anxiety in the way she talked and how she behaved, she didn't want to leave the house, she wanted to be there for her mother all the time. You know, after the diagnosis they got the old lady to live with them in order to take care of her. The whole family was on a joined mission: look after grandma.
I like to believe in your guess. Since if there is a happy place in the afterlife, it would feel nice to "wake up" and be their self again :D
Aaw! Thank you for the compliment!
Lots of love back to you! 😁 ❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️ ❤️❤️❤️
@Abigail surprises me on Friday the 13th!.. Am scared
I read about the post by saho on this disorder. But you did well in breaking down this one and explaining it quite well. This is really bad for young people but who are we to stop it from happening. We just have to take care of them when it happens.
Am scared, 😥😥
I hope you are back for real, i am glad i got an update from your blog today...i hope you do this more often.
Welcome back @Abigail
Hahahhahaha @adelota you made me laugh!
Thank you for you warm comment my dear. I am glad to hear you liked the explanation I delivered here :)
Yea it was interesting.. Thank you for it!
I want to make my comment based on what I heard during my undergraduate days. There is this Profesor of Inorganic Chemistry, that I have heard many people talk about. I heard there was a day he left his wife in the school and drove home, only to get home and remembered he was not with his wife. Also, have heard some saying that he forgets his car at a parking lot on some occasions and practically trekked to the bus station before he knew he brought his car. Although, I am not sure of the veracity, but somehow I think he acts like he forgets a lot of things and easily display mood swing.
Thank you for sharing this post with us again. I wouldn't expect less of such important discussion.
This may be a stupid question, but does low blood pressure have anything to do with poor blood supply to the brain?
Hey @geke, quite the contrary. This is a rather complex question!
1- Longitudinal studies have shown that low blood pressure may predispose individuals to develop Alzheimer's and other types of dementias. This might indicate a consequence of blood supply to the brain.
But, do keep in mind, this is something that can indeed be counterbalanced by preventive measures :)
Ps: Interestingly, low blood pressure can become a consequence of dementia too, as - because of the loss of sympathetic drive - the dementia process may lower blood pressure,
It is great to hear from you! :*
Take care :)
Storing nerves of this has not yet been found in the literature to overcome dementia. Still can help better as before to perform daily activities.
These are foods that can help improve the quality of life and the progression of dementia progress: Green vegetables, proven folic acid and vitamin E Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage containing carotenoids and folate Nuts, which contain iron, magnesium and potassium, and choline that can helps the functioning of the brain, because making omega-3 fatty acids will allow health, such as: Salt Saturated fats like coconut milk oily Foods vascular dementia will worsen over time, but with care, a little will help people with vascular dementia.
Thank you for pointing out some of the foods that we can adopt as a means to prevent dementia yoni
@jamalgayoni :)
Sin duda alguna debe ser bastante difícil tener un familiar con esta enfermedad, sabía que existía la enfermedad de Alzheimer, pero no tenía conocimiento de esto, sus publicaciones siempre son muy educativas para quienes lo siguen. Supongo que en estos casos el cuidado de estas personas deben ser de mucha intensidad, estar muy pendiente de su entorno fisico, evaluar con mucha atencion sus aspectos psicologicos. ¡Saludos!
Hello @andre15501,
Great to hear this post brought you some new information.
Yes, you are right. Looking after someone living with dementia is very demanding and my heart indeed goes to those in such situations.
Best :)
And there I thought, I had an opportunity to brag again about how amazing I am :)
😘
My mother in law has been suffering from dementia since 2015. It first started with forgetting words, progressing to forgetting how to wear clothes. I used to feed her often. It is a long story but our care(thanks to god for preserving our patience) has actually retained her ability to tell us when she wants to go the bathroom. Of late, she is speaking to somebody imaginary..I pray that she does not suffer so.
My thought also goes to the families and cares of those who are living with dementia. I am sure your mother-in-law is being looked after with much love from you and your family and she feels that :)
All the best to you @sayee. Thank you for sharing your story here!