Experiencing Retention Problems? Should My Identify Unit Of Measurement Fellow Member Endure Seeing A Neurologist?
Initially, a neurological evaluation should live on conducted to confirm that retentivity problems are non beingness caused past times an easily fixed problem.
Before a referral to a neurologist, your master copy attention medico should guide keep run blood tests for thyroid function, kidney in addition to liver health, anemia, in addition to vitamin deficiencies (especially some of the B-vitamins).
How to Understand the Difference betwixt Alzheimer's in addition to Dementia
The master copy attention provider may besides guide keep asked about
- depression,
- chronic pain,
- stress,
- and slumber disturbances.
A goodness neurologist, however, tin get together a rigid instance for a particular diagnosis using data from
- a comprehensive neurological examination,
- a detailed household unit of measurement in addition to personal history,
- and encephalon imaging (usually magnetic resonance, aka MRI).
For example, early onset Alzheimer’s Dementia, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, in addition to fifty-fifty Lewy Body Dementia tin await somewhat the same at the beginning. However, all guide keep unique features that tin live on teased out based on detailed questioning in addition to a comprehensive neurological examination.
If the individual has had strokes or a history of high blood pressure level or pump attacks, the retentivity problems are caused past times vascular dementia.
If the household unit of measurement fellow member reports that the individual “acts out” her dreams, the suspicion for Lewy Body Dementia grows.
Has the person’s personality undergone a serious change? If yes, frontotemporal dementia may live on something to consider.
An MRI may live on ordered to come across if at that spot are other physical reasons for changes inwards memory; it besides pinpoints areas of the encephalon that are shrinking, or “atrophying.”
Although the scientific discipline is non exact, nosotros guide keep a bang-up bargain to a greater extent than data on patterns of atrophy corresponding to specific types of dementia instantly than nosotros did 10 years ago.
For example, a mutual blueprint of atrophy seen amongst early Alzheimer’s Dementia is shrinkage of the hippocampi (2 curvy areas deep within the encephalon that shape the limbic system) addition generalized encephalon shrinkage.
If the forepart in addition to sides of the encephalon are shrinking, in addition to then frontotemporal dementia is suspected.
Different Types of Dementia
Sometimes, a individual may guide keep two types of dementia occurring at the same time, or i happening on exceed of some other one.
Having a diagnosis tin assistance amongst medication decisions.
Donepezil (Aricept) is FDA approved for Alzheimer’s Dementia spell its relative, rivastigmine (Exelon) is FDA approved for Parkinson’s Disease Dementia.
These medications tin irksome downward the symptoms simply non the conk of the cells.
And, equally the dissimilar parts of the encephalon shrink, the behaviors that caregivers expression upwards (such equally repeated questions, refusals to accept a bath, wandering, shadowing, sleep/wake disturbances) ofttimes surface.
Next fourth dimension I volition write well-nigh - When Do We Stop Seeing the Neurologist?
You tin contact or inquire Dr. Jablonski-Jaudon a query at rjablonski@uabmc.edu
Related Articles
Memory Care
Rita Jablonski-Jaudon, PhD, CRNP, FAAN is an internationally recognized researcher in addition to skillful on non-drug ways to handgrip dementia-related behaviors. She is an Associate Professor at the School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in addition to a nurse practitioner inwards The Memory Disorders Clinic at the Kirklin Clinic, UABMC, Birmingham, Alabama.
How to Get Answers To Your Questions About Alzheimer's in addition to Dementia
You are reading original content the