Dementia or cognitive decline is a brain disorder that gradually reduces brain function over time. We may have heard that this disease is common among the elderly, typically occurring in people aged 65 and older, with the risk increasing as age advances. However, did you know that… nowadays, dementia is increasingly found in younger individuals, starting from age 30 or even those still in the workforce, accounting for as much as 7% of all patients?
Because diseases and behaviors
lead to dementia in younger people
Normally, as we age or enter our 40s, the organs and systems of various glands, including the heart and brain, gradually deteriorate. For those with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, vascular diseases, liver and chronic kidney diseases, or those who have habits like heavy smoking, regular alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, sedentary work, stress, staying up late, and insufficient rest, these factors increase the risk of developing dementia faster.
Other factors that increase the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s
- Deficiency of certain vitamins, such as vitamin B12 and E
- Exposure to environmental toxins, drugs, or certain medications
- Infections such as syphilis or prion diseases like CJD, which are chronic, and HIV virus
- Thyroid gland dysfunction
- Enlarged brain ventricles
- Brain tumors
- Brain injury due to accidents
Do you or someone close to you have any of these behaviors?
If yes! It may be a warning sign of dementia
When dementia occurs, it causes problems with memory, thinking, emotions, and changes in personality. We may notice this in conversations where the patient tends to repeat the same topics they just spoke about. Sometimes communication is impaired, such as difficulty speaking because they cannot find the right words, not understanding what others say, or writing incorrectly. As dementia progresses, daily life problems increase, such as
- Loss of short-term memory, inability to find the way home, forgetting places, not knowing where they are, making it unsafe to go out alone
- Inability to perform simple tasks they used to do, such as shopping but unable to calculate change due to difficulty with addition and subtraction
- Inability to use various items properly, such as pressing the TV remote or mobile phone incorrectly, not knowing the purpose of certain objects
- Inability to distinguish tastes or smells
- Unable to bathe themselves, refusing to brush teeth, dressing inappropriately
- Worsening memory, forgetfulness especially about recent events, forgetting where items were placed, while older memories may still be intact
- Repetitive behaviors, such as watering plants multiple times a day or eating many meals a day
- Unable to recognize familiar places, forgetting the names of family members
- Problems with decision-making, personality changes, lethargy, irritability, possible hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, possessiveness, fear that others will steal their belongings or inheritance
These symptoms may be difficult to notice in the early stages, or close ones may see but not understand why the patient’s personality has changed. It may not be realized that… these are actually signs and symptoms of someone with dementia, specifically “Alzheimer’s disease”, which is the most common type of dementia. The main cause of this type of dementia is the death of some brain cells, resulting in reduced neurotransmitter transmission, causing memory loss and learning difficulties. The ability to live independently gradually declines.
There is also a type of dementia that causes weakness in the limbs, poor balance, and unclear speech caused by blockage or rupture of brain blood vessels, known as “vascular dementia”. When a patient has brain hemorrhage that compresses brain tissue, some brain cells are damaged or die, reducing the brain’s ability to control functions. Causes of vascular dementia include high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heavy smoking or regular alcohol consumption, insufficient rest, and accumulated stress.
Diagnosis and treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s
If you suspect changes in behavior or personality in someone close that may indicate dementia or Alzheimer’s, you should promptly take them to see a doctor. Diagnosis involves the doctor asking about symptoms and behaviors, testing memory and skills related to problem-solving, calculation, and language use. If necessary, an MRI scan of the brain may be performed to check for related lesions.
Although there is currently no cure or treatment to completely heal “Alzheimer’s disease” dementia, symptoms can be alleviated with medication, and the progression of the disease can be managed or slowed down to maintain the best possible quality of life for the patient.
For families or caregivers, it is important to understand that the patient’s problems and behaviors are not intentional but due to brain dysfunction. Therefore, patience is required without blaming or resenting the patient. Encourage the patient to engage in enjoyable activities for relaxation, such as brain training games, listening to music, and exercising. Maintain cleanliness of both the environment and the patient, and pay attention to nutrition by eating foods that help nourish brain cells, such as ginkgo leaf products, rice bran, brown rice, egg yolks, and green leafy vegetables. Avoid processed foods high in sodium, excessive sugar, salt, and fat to reduce the risk of vascular disease, which can further harm brain cells and worsen Alzheimer’s condition.