Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

is it dementia?

My father in law has all symptoms to prove that he has dementia. Except for he has high B12 level and the
MRI test was perfect.
What is it then.
Thanks for helping
Salt822
5 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Scientists have found that one fruit could hold the key to supercharging your memory.One little fruit could stop or even reverse years of cognitive decline.
This  fruit contains special substances that help your brain cells send and receive information faster. Much faster. Plus, according to the new research, it doesn't take long for your brain to start working lightening fast...just 12 weeks.
Berry blocks natural brain aging
Over the years, lots of studies have shown that this fruit reduces your risk of vision loss, weight gain, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. That's nothing new. But very recently, scientists have also found that it also protects your brain from aging.
Blueberries, which contain two special kinds of antioxidants called anthocyanins and flavanols. They are special because they can cross the blood-brain barrier. Very few nutrients on Earth can do this. Once there, they scrub your brain cells and get rid of harmful free radicals. And that's important...because free radicals in the brain can lead to oxidation, memory loss, and even Alzheimer's disease.
Blueberries also help existing nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other better. They even appear to encourage the growth of new nerve cells in the brain.
If Big Pharma came up with a drug that could grow new nerve cells in the brain. Not that it could (or would) ever happen, but can you imagine the headlines: "Grow New Brain Cells with Our Miracle Drug!!!!!" Sure, there would be the occasional side-effects, like your head exploding. But that's a small risk.
Thankfully, you don't have to wait for Big Pharma's next wonder drug. Blueberries can improve your brain function right now.
Boost your learning capacity
For the latest study, researchers fed aging rats a blueberry-enriched diet for one or two months. They also sent the rats through a series of mazes to test their cognitive ability. The faster the rat got through the maze, the better its score.
The first time the aging rats ran through the maze, they scored badly. But after eating a diet filled with blueberries they all performed better, even the rats who were fed blueberries for just one month. In fact, in just one month's time, they scored just as well as the young rats in the study. On the other hand, the aging rats fed a normal diet performed worse on later tests.
In addition, the aging rats fed blueberries for at least two months kept their young brains.
Well, these rats continued to perform like young rats even months after they stopped eating the blueberries. So it appears that eating blueberries has a lasting affect on the brain.
According to Dr. David Malin, PhD, the team's lead researcher, "The present results suggest that even a relatively brief blueberry diet might produce measurable benefits. Second, the benefits of several months of the diet might be maintained for a considerable period after the diet is interrupted. Third, blueberry supplementation might possibly reverse some degree of memory impairment that has already developed. This raises the possibility that this sort of nutritional intervention might still be beneficial even after certain memory deficiencies have become evident."
In other words, eating blueberries can really help your memory... even if you already show signs of mental decline. Plus, once you start eating blueberries, the results seem to be long-lasting.

Now, these results came from testing rats. And the research has to come a long way before we can say with certainty that we'll get the same results on humans. But the emerging data looks really positive. In fact, last year researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that men and women who drank about 500 mL of blueberry juice improved their learning and word list recall in just 12 weeks! They also significantly improved their depressive symptoms.
These delicious brain-boosters are one of the 'dirtiest' fruits on Earth. In fact, each year the Environmental Working Group ranks fruits and vegetables according to their pesticide residue. And last year blueberries ranked fifth 'dirtiest.' This means that most blueberries on the shelves at your local grocery store are covered in pesticides.

Is there such a thing as a 'clean' blueberry?
The truth is, washing fruits and vegetables with soap and water (or even the specialty washes) does very little to remove pesticides. The only safe way around the problem is to avoid commercially grown produce. Choose organic instead. Another great option is to look for a supplement that contains blueberry extract.
Helpful - 0
144586 tn?1284666164
I feel bad about my comment, because it seemed harsh. I didn't want to make fun of the serious situation. I merely tried to convey that observations are the best method of judging mental status. Not an MRI. Or some machine. I feel strongly about this because when my mother was dying they declared her brain dead at the same time she was squeezing my hand in response to questions. The nurses and doctors treated her like garbage because of "what the machine said".  Dementia comes in many forms, and sometimes progresses and sometimes holds still and sometimes can be reversed.

Don't give up hope!

My little 104 year old went on a peg last year because she had stopped eating. Lack of nutrition can definitely affect mental status. But especially lack of hydration. Before she went on the peg I was meticulous in keeping a daily hydration log.

To encourage eating, I used a variety of different foods and strategies, but all involved taking lots of time with her and feeding her at odd hours. Check my posts on feeding the elderly and stroke disabled.

When the peg was put in she gained ten pounds and her mental ability really went up.

As for the question on steroids and dementia...I don't know the answer. Stopping steroids abruptly often cause adrenal problems, so a work-up by an endochronologist might be in order.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My father had pancreatitus (not a drinker), I believe he isn't well yet because he still has pain (not as much as when it started 6 weeks ago though), and he has no appetitie... his stomach hurts but not as much as it did... What has gotten worse however is his apathy, muscle loss, depression and short term memory loss....  He was on prednisone for 10 years --on and off (but mostly on) and stopped it 5-6 months ago for asthma. He also has copd, and type II diabetes. he says he has no problems with memory but I can tell he is uncomfortable with the subject so perhaps it partially denial?  He didn't remember being in the hospital with pancreatitus... but remembered it several days later when asked... does this suggest there isn't permanent damage... if he couldn't store new memories -he couldn't retrieve them, right?) Also -- is their a connection with liver damage and pancreatitus.... with stopping the steroids?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Mo5
My mom at 91 was in the hospital since DEC 8 she is being released tomorrow. She lost 20 pounds because she was not eating.aaaait seemed to affect her thinking. Will she go back to normal if she begins to eat again?
Helpful - 0
144586 tn?1284666164
An MRI and B-12 test is essentially irrelevant.

If it looks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, and it walks like a duck, it is a duck.

Dementia has many etiologies.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Nutrition Community

Top Healthy Living Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
14 super-healthy foods that are worth the hype
Small changes make a big impact with these easy ways to cut hundreds of calories a day.
Forget the fountain of youth – try flossing instead! Here are 11 surprising ways to live longer.
From STD tests to mammograms, find out which screening tests you need - and when to get them.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.