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  • Management of Alzheimer’s Disease
    How can you keep the patient well: Creating a safe and supportive environment: You may need to modify the home depending on the needs of the patient. This may include locking doors (if the patient is prone to wandering), installing gates in front of stairs to prevent falls, removing rugs or other objects that one could trip over, use of bright lighting or labelling the kitchen or the bathroom to reduce confusion for the patient.  Regular exercise: This has known benefits for heart health…
  • Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention
    Can Alzheimer's be prevented? Currently there's no proven way to prevent Alzheimer's disease. Research into prevention strategies is ongoing. The strongest evidence so far suggests that you may be able to lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease by reducing your risk of heart disease. Many of the same factors that increase your risk of heart disease can also increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease. Important factors that may be involved include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol,…
  • Alzheimer's Disease Treatment
    Treatment options Two types of drugs are currently used:  Cholinesterase inhibitors: Commonly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors include Donepezil (Aricept), Galantamine (Razadyne) And Rivastigmine (Exelon). These drugs work by preventing the breakdown of the chemicals used for nerve cell communication in the brain and delay worsening of symptoms. The main side effects of these drugs include diarrhoea, nausea and sleep disturbances.  Memantine (Namenda): This drug works in another…
  • Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms and Signs
    What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease? The changes in behavior and understanding are different from those that normally happen as one ages. For instance, occasional lapses of memory occur in normal ageing, like sometimes forgetting where you left your things. It isn’t disabling. Whereas in Alzheimer’s, there is persistent disabling in intellectual abilities, like memory, language, judgment and abstract thinking. The patient may show some of the following symptoms: Memory changes and…
  • Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and Tests
    How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed? There's no specific test today that confirms you have Alzheimer's disease. It is mainly based on the information that the patient or family member provides and results of various tests that can help clarify the diagnosis.  To help distinguish Alzheimer's disease from other causes of memory loss, the following types of tests can be helpful: Medical history Neurological exam – Reflexes, coordination, muscle tone and strength, eye movement, speech,…
  • Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease and Risk Factors
    What causes Alzheimer’s disease? Scientists believe that for most people, Alzheimer's disease results from a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time.   Although the causes of Alzheimer's are not yet fully understood, its effect on the brain is clear. Alzheimer's disease damages and kills brain cells.   As more and more brain cells die, Alzheimer's leads to significant brain shrinkage.  What are the risk factors for…
  • Rigorous exercise may slow Parkinson’s Disease Progression
    Dr. Pettarusp Wadia, Consultant Neurologist and Movement Disorder Specialist, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, speaks to Dr Shital Raval about the latest treatments to manage Parkinson’s Disease.  Is Parkinson's a genetic condition? In about 5% of the adult population and 25% of the young-onset Parkinson's disease population, a single gene can be identified. However research is on to identify if certain genes make a person more susceptible to develop…
  • Autism
    What are Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of complex disorders with three core features: Qualitative impairment in social interaction Qualitative impairment in communication Restricted, repetitive and stereotypic patterns of behaviour, interests and activities. It is a complex neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain and, in particular, the processing of social information. This affects how a person sees and understands the world…
  • 5 Overlooked Signs Of Depression
    Depression can manifest itself in many different ways. Learn to recognise signs of depression in a friend or a family member.  Counsellor Animitra Ghatak shares the surprising signs of depression and how you can help.   Depression is a mood disorder that may affect any of us at some point in our lives. This can be triggered by setbacks in life, bereavement or a chronic illness. Depression is not just about feeling sad or down. It affects the mind and the body. It…