In this age of political correctness, a lot of people agonized over the title “senior citizens.” I have no hang-ups about it. In fact I feel dignified in being one. But a lot don’t share my views so much so that a search was done for the more politically correct term. Several, like “non-traditional student,” were submitted and voted on. I voted, and found out, that “life-long learners” was the unanimous winner. So from now on I am not a senior citizen but a life-long learner. My blog, Sunrise of My Life, is a testament to that.
Now I learned that:
The first part of “Aging and Its Diseases” touched on the first two common diseases of those belonging to my genre, i.e., cancer and diabetes. The last two are:
1. Dementia (MedLine Plus):
Oooppppsss. This is getting me confused. In one source, it is termed a “syndrome” (sets of signs and symptoms) but later called it a disease while in another, Medline Plus, it is the “loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking language, judgment and behavior.
Most types of dementia are nonreversible (degenerative), with Alzheimer being the most common. Small strokes can cause what is called vascular dementia while Lewy body disease, a spectrum of diseases involving an array of dementia and motor symptoms is a leading cause of dementia among elderly adults.
The following medical condition can lead to dementia:
o Parkinson’s disease;
o Multiple sclerosis;
o Huntington’s disease;
o Pick’s disease;
o Progressive supranuclear palsy;
o HIV/AIDS and Lyme disease.
Dementia, in some cases, may be reversed if caused by some causes such as:
o Brain tumor;
o Changes in blood sugar, calcium and sodium levels;
o Low vitamin B12 levels;
o Normal pressure hydrocephalus;
o Use of certain medications, including cimetadine and some cholesterol-lowering drugs;
o Chronic alcohol abuse.
Symptoms include difficulty in many areas of mental function, including:
o Language;
o Memory;
o Perception;
o Emotional behavior or personality;
o Cognitive skills, i.e, calculation, abstract thinking or judgment.
It usually occurs in older age. It is rare in people under age 60. Ha, ha, ha.
2. Parkinson’s disease (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke):
Parkinson’s disease (PD) belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.
The primary symptoms of the onset of the disease are:
o Tremors or trembling hands, arms, legs, jaw and face;
o Rigidity or stiffness or limbs and trunk;
o Bradykinesia (slowness of movement;
o Postural instability or impaired balance and coordination.
As they become more pronounced, difficulty in walking, talking or completing other simple tasks occur.
PD usually affects people over the age of 50 and there are currently no blood or laboratory tests that have been proven to help in its diagnosis. Medical history and neurological examination is often resorted to for a more reliable diagnosis with brain scans often resorted to.
Presently, there is no cure for PD but a variety of medications are available (it’s better to consult your physician rather than enumerate them here).
I heard of a guy, not responding to regular medications, going through therapy known as the DBS (deep brain stimulation). This is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Not a cure but can cause a reduction in the need for medications and its obvious physical manifestations. The downside is that it requires careful programming to make it work.
Note: It is suggested that a visit is to the site of the National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke to know about the current researches done on this disease that affects a lot of lives worldwide.
