Bits and Pieces
Dementia----- the robber of one’s dignity
According to medical research, expert opinions from various medical journals, and of course the immense knowledge that one accumulates by searching the Internet; one is led to believe that in most cases, and rightfully so, that “dementia” is a slow and agonizing decline in intellectual functioning, including problems with memory, reasoning and thinking.
Alzheimer’s disease is believed to be the most common cause of dementia, but dementia can very well be caused by strokes, Parkinson’s disease, head injuries or a host of other conditions — very few of which are reversible. Clinicians can now diagnosis Alzheimer’s disease with up to 90 per cent accuracy. But it can only be confirmed by an autopsy. There is no cure for dementia, but medications may slow down the progression somewhat, and may also provide the patient with a little less pain and anxiety, which may lead to a more relaxed quality of life for a number of years.
Recent reports have shown where a study was done on six patients who had electrodes implanted in areas of their brain associated with memory, which lasts for 12 months. During this period where they underwent deep brain stimulation, the participants continued to use their Alzheimer’s disease medication. The researchers found that some patients had an improvement in cognition. Using imaging scans, the researchers saw that the participants had an increase in glucose metabolism, which shows a higher level of brain activity. The participants did not have sleep problems or changes in weight or body chemistry after undergoing the surgery for deep brain stimulation.
While the results from this study show some promise, the results are very preliminary.
Further research will continue including more participants. Hopefully, some promising and positive results are on the horizon. I surely hope so.
Now that I have given you a birds eye view of the medical findings by some of the best surgeons, first class medical laboratories around the world, and by some of the finest medical research that is available to us today, in which medical findings are founded upon solid medical technology and expertise. This medical research is thoroughly scrutinized and examined by numerous medical experts in finding a solution that might help ease the pain and suffering of those inflicted with dementia. But a cure seems so far out of reach.
Continued in the June 13 edition of The Pilot.
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