Early signs of dementia
Dr. Tran Cong Thang, Head of the Dementia Unit, Department of Neurology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City (UMPH) shared: "According to the Alzheimer's Association of Canada, the 10 warning signs of dementia include: memory loss affecting daily life, difficulty completing familiar tasks, disorientation about time and space, impaired judgment, impaired abstract thinking, misplacing objects, changes in mood and behavior, personality changes, becoming passive.
To diagnose dementia, the doctor will ask about the patient's medical history in detail to determine which cognitive impairments the patient has. Then, paraclinical tests will be performed so that the doctor can clearly understand the patient's neurological impairment. Next, the patient will be given a test to assess memory and cognitive function. Finally, the doctor will order the patient to do a blood test and a brain MRI to examine the condition of brain damage... thereby determining the cause of dementia, thereby building a corresponding treatment regimen for the patient.
Early detection and treatment of dementia
BSCKII Tong Mai Trang talks with a patient being treated for dementia using deep brain stimulation
According to Dr. Tong Mai Trang (Department of Neurology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City), early detection of dementia is difficult because the disease often progresses silently and requires special attention to be recognized. However, we can seize the golden time in early detection of dementia by detecting the disease at the stage of mild cognitive impairment - the intermediate stage between people with normal cognition and people with dementia. To detect this condition, patients need regular health screenings. At that time, brain cells have not been damaged widely, so it is completely possible to slow down the progression of the disease and prolong the patient's independent life.
At the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, patients with memory problems can go directly to the Dementia Unit for in-depth examination. Here, patients will be asked for a detailed medical history and given a set of neuropsychological tests. Based on the results obtained regarding the severity of the disease and the patient's cognitive impairment, the doctor will prescribe medication combined with cognitive training.
In particular, at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, the group training program corresponds to each level of mild - medium - severe so that patients can meet, share, and avoid feeling inferior. In addition, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City has deployed the transcranial magnetic stimulation method to apply to patients in the early stages. With this method, the patient's brain is double stimulated with the magnetic machine and cognitive exercises are applied during the machine operation.
In order to raise public awareness in the early diagnosis and treatment of dementia, the Communication Center in collaboration with the Department of Neurology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City and EISAI Vietnam Company Limited implemented the "Healthy Living - Sharing" Consulting Program with the topic: Why is it necessary to recognize and treat dementia early?, follow at: https://bit.ly/dieutrisasuttritue
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