Judgment depends on memory. New research appears to show that remembering task and decision-making sequences involves a later replay of those processes directed by a structure in the brain called the hippocampus. Replay in the hippocampus is critical to forming memories but also to learning which of our behaviours and decisions are most effective at accomplishing a particular or perhaps related goal. The hippocampus is damaged in Alzheimer’s disease and usually in Alcohol Related Brain Disease. This process of ‘replay’…..
The link below is to an article which nicely outlines three important presentations of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) – a common form of early onset dementia – dementia which affects people in their 50s and 60s: Behavioural variant FTD; Language variant FTD; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (motor neurone disease) with FTD. Or read about it in Your Brain in Sickness and in Health: page 66 and descriptions/explanations elsewhere in the book of particular issues with this disorder such as deterioration in social…..
A person experiencing dementia may easily become overwhelmed and flustered. They may then have even greater difficulty than usual with remembering, with managing tasks and with functioning independently. They may become very anxious, angry, ashamed or distressed in other ways. The heightened emotion can then further interfere with their ability to ‘think straight’, to function well, and a ‘vicious cycle or circle’ may set in. This has been called a ‘catastrophic reaction’ and is discussed in Chapter 4 of my…..
Another cause of severe memory loss, particularly affecting people over 80 years of age, has been found. So the known causes of the disorders called dementia are now believed to be: Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Dementia with Lewy bodies, ‘LATE’ (the newly understood cause) and, importantly various mixtures of these brain disorders. You can read about it in a CNN post: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/30/health/dementia-late-alzheimers-study/index.html or in detail in an article in the journal Brain.
The drug ‘aducanumab’ showed great promise in removing amyloid from the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid deposits (‘plaques’) have been thought, perhaps incorrectly, to be the cause of brain deterioration in Alzheimer’s disease. But preliminary analysis of results from an incomplete very large trial did not show enough improvement to justify continuing the trial. Read more in the Time article: http://time.com/5557060/alzheimers-drug-aducanumab-trial-patient/
If you are interested in buying ‘Your Brain in Sickness and in Health’ by Dr Sid Williams you have many options. It is available in soft cover, hard cover and e-book. You can press the ‘order now’ button which will take you to ‘Lulu.com‘ – the publishers. They are in the US but the book is printed ‘on demand’ in a number of other countries. You can ask your bookshop to order the book. Because the book is printed ‘on…..
Korsakoff syndrome, usually associated with alcohol abuse can occur without alcohol intake at all. It is due to a deficiency of thiamine (Vitamin B1). Other conditions where it can be a problem include: anorexia-bulimia nervosa; severe and persistent vomiting (pregnancy, chemotherapy); after gastric banding; associated with Cancer or other causes of malnutrition or subnutrition. It is discussed (as Wernicke-Korsakoff state) on pages 94, 104, 353-4 in Dr Sid’s book. http://www.jneuropsychiatry.org/abstract/a-case-of-nonalcoholic-korsakoff-syndrome-resulting-from-malnutrition-due-to-selfneglect-and-severe-depression-12799.html
Excerpt: ‘The book has universal appeal; while dealing with complex issues, it is written in plain English; it will help, guide and comfort families of those who have a brain disorder; it is instructive for the family or general physician; and there is much that will interest even the most widely read student of psychology or psychiatry’ Australasian Psychiatry 2017 Vol 25(6) 630-632 https://doi.org/10.1177/1039856217726698
‘Wow! Over the past weeks I’ve taken time to sit and read your book, haven’t finished it yet. Sid it’s amazing, the way you have written the book and the examples given is so clear and easy to understand. I look forward to finishing it.’ Helen O’Connor, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychogeriatrics. I have to admit that Helen and I worked together for many years. She is an esteemed colleague and dear friend but her comment was unsolicited and Helen…..
Dr Frukacz, editor of the RANZCP NSW newsletter wrote in the June-July edition: EXCERPT: So, this is a book that is both informative, and enjoyable and easy to read. It is a book that can be recommended to family and carers of patients with organic brain disease to help them understand better and thereby cope better with what must at first sight seem strange and bizarre behaviour. Yet its capacity to make a topic that is usually dry and…..