Better Health 25 Eng

AGING BRAIN
Normal memory lapse, or a sign
of something serious?
Every senior forgets things now and then. But when is a memory
problem a sign of something more serious such as dementia or
Alzheimer’s disease?
Nothing escapes the aging process, the brain included.
The brain’s normal aging process means the older
we get, the more memory lapses we experience. We
can also expect the brain’s speed and sharpness to continue
their gradual, normal decline. But forgetfulness that affects
a senior’s daily activities may be a sign of the more serious
medical problem known as dementia.
According to Dr. Ketchai Suavansri, a cognitive and
behavioral neurologist at Bumrungrad with many years’
experience helping patients with dementia and other
cognitive impairments, dementia poses a greater risk the
older we are: After age 65, dementia’s rate of prevalence is
about eight percent; after age 75, the rate nearly doubles
(to 15%); after age 90, the rate is nearly 50 percent.
Understanding dementia
Dementia is the medical term for a collection of disorders
affecting brain function which have certain symptoms in
common. People with dementia experience brain impairment
which interferes significantly with their daily lives and their
socialization. “Dementia itself is not a disease,” Dr. Ketchai
explains. “It’s the result of other diseases affecting the areas
of the brain that control various bodily functions.”
There are many disorders known to cause dementia.
“While about 80 percent of the disorders cause permanent
loss of brain function,” notes Dr. Ketchai, “early intervention
can slow the progression and help dementia patients
maintain a good life quality. The progression can be reversed
for about 20 percent of patients, if the specific disease causing
the dementia is identified and treatment begins earlier.”
Degenerative brain-cell diseases, such as Alzheimer’s
disease, cause progressive, irreversible damage to the
brain. So-called reversible dementia, also known as
secondary dementia, is caused by other treatable
disorders, such as brain tumors, thyroid diseases, vitamin
B12 deficiency or as a side effect from taking certain
medications.
Diagnosing dementia
Since dementia has a number of possible causes,
diagnosing it properly is a complex process requiring
specialized training and expertise. “Even though memory
loss is a common early-stage symptom of dementia, memory
loss by itself isn’t enough to confirm a diagnosis of dementia,”
Dr. Ketchai explains. “Dementia is only diagnosed after
impairment is confirmed for at least two brain functions –
usually memory plus something else such as language or
perception impairment. Diagnosis also requires that the
symptoms be ongoing for at least six months and are
affecting daily activities.”
To diagnose dementia, the doctor typically begins with
a physical examination and a review of the patient’s health
history. Caregivers and family members may be consulted,
as early-stage dementia patients may not be aware of their
symptoms. Blood testing may also be carried out to rule out
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