Uncommon signs of dementia
Dementia refers to a group of symptoms affecting your memory, thinking and social abilities. The impact can be severe enough to interfere with your daily life.
One of the most common types of dementia – Alzheimer's disease – is associated with memory loss in the early stages. However, frontotemporal dementia has other signs that may be dismissed or not taken seriously.
Parts of the brain affected by frontotemporal dementia are responsible for your personality, behaviors, and speech, according to the charity Dementia UK.
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal disorders (FTD), or frontotemporal dementia, result from damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It most commonly affects people aged 40 to 60.There are two types of frontotemporal dementia – frontotemporal dementia behavioral variant (bvFTD) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA).
Link between food and dementia
According to the US National Institutes of Health, behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by insidious changes in personality and interpersonal conduct.One such sign is changes in your behavior regarding food or drink, such as craving sweet foods. Further, you could be exhibiting poor table manners, overeating, or drinking too much alcohol.
Other signs of bvFTD
Apart from changes in eating habits, other signs of this variant include reduced motivation, lack of interest in things you used to enjoy and inappropriate behavior, e.g. making suggestive comments, staring, being over-familiar with people.Other signs include reduced empathy, difficulty focusing on tasks, obsessive or repetitive behavior and difficulty with planning, organizing and decision-making. You may not be aware or have insight that you are undergoing these changes.
Signs of primary progressive aphasia type
The primary progressive aphasia type affects your language rather than behavior.Symptoms include difficulty remembering, finding or understanding words; gradual loss of vocabulary and forgetting what common objects are and what they do, such as the role of kettle, toaster, keys.You may experience difficulty in forming sentences and using grammar correctly. Another sign includes difficulty finding words or conducting conversations. You may stop speaking mid-sentence, searching for the right word.
Treatment
There is no cure for dementia, however, treatment is there to help manage some of the symptoms. Antidepressants, prescribed by doctors, may help control symptoms like loss of inhibitions, overeating, or compulsive behaviors. Similarly, physiotherapy could help with movement issues and speech therapy could improve your communication skills.
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