What is alcoholic dementia, what are the signs and methods of treating dementia. Diagnostic methods and criteria. Did you have any relatives in your family who went on long-term “binges”?

Narcologists have noted that uncontrolled alcohol consumption is accompanied by damage to brain cells and blood vessels. Very soon behavior drinking man begins to indicate that he is developing personality degradation. One of the most striking manifestations of mental regression is dementia or dementia.
Dementia is a natural process in which a person’s brain activity declines. As a rule, dementia occurs in old age.

The general symptoms of this disease are:

• gradual decline in intellectual abilities;
• fading of emotional and volitional capabilities;
• loss of memory and ability to concentrate;
• anger, suspicion, capriciousness, distrust;
• loss of orientation in time, space, inability to self-identify and recognize other persons.

Why drinkers are prone to developing mental retardation

Ethanol is a toxic substance that disrupts the structure of brain neurons. The cells of the central nervous system are destroyed over time from constant exposure to alcohol and its breakdown products. This process is gradual and irreversible nature, a person himself often does not notice changes in his behavior and perception of the world. The first to pay attention to such changes are the patient’s relatives, who begin to sound the alarm. Mental disability manifests itself especially clearly at stages II and III of alcoholism.

Signs of progression of dementia in chronic alcoholism

becomes not only trigger mechanism for the onset of early dementia, but also accelerates this process. In extremely severe cases, the development of dementia is possible in middle age and also in adolescence. In alcohol-dependent people, mental and psycho-emotional degradation progresses .

Dementia manifests itself:

• affective disorders;
• psychopathic states;
• ethical and moral deviations;
• intellectual impoverishment;
• loss of quality performance.

Affective deviations

Degradation caused by alcohol addiction primarily manifests itself in behavioral disorders. The patient may be in long-term depression or, on the contrary, in an unreasonably elevated mood. Sharp changes in emotions indicate the presence of affective disorders - the first sign of development mental illness. Such changes do not depend on alcohol intake or abstinence from it, are sustainable and are considered permanent.

Patients experience:

• irritability, anger, unreasonable resentment;
• pessimistic moods, seeing what is happening “in black”;
• sudden mood swings (transition from activity to complete apathy, and vice versa);
• a state of euphoria against the background of a negative worldview.

The main and common symptom of these mental disorders is the patient’s inability to take an analytical look at what is happening and control his experiences. Critical thinking is low or completely absent. Reasoning becomes superficial. The sense of humor becomes flattened. The ability for deep feelings atrophies.

Psychopathic-like disorders

For this type disorders have many different manifestations.

Let's highlight the main features:

• inappropriate behavior in society, both with loved ones and with strangers;
• hysterical states, with characteristic attacks of anger and hatred towards everything around;
• rude and cruel attitude towards people;
• pathological deceit.

The above statuses are especially active during periods of severe alcohol intoxication, or at the stage of abstinence from alcohol, during withdrawal syndrome. On all other days, psychopathic symptoms soften and become less noticeable. However, with increasing experience of alcoholism, the signs of psychopathy and desocialization become irreversible.

Ethical deviations

Against the background of an ingrained psychopathological state, violations regarding the moral norms of human behavior appear.

Ethical deviations are characterized by:

• offensive attitude towards people with the aim of humiliating them;
• creation in the family of an unbearable atmosphere of terror towards relatives and friends;
• adaptability to various situations for the purpose of drinking or obtaining alcohol by deception;
• inventing various fables, illnesses, worries about any reason when you need to drink;
• false repentance and a promise to stop drinking;
• violation of previously made promises;
• neglect of obligations to family.

Intellectual impoverishment and loss of performance

Serious mental disorders are observed in the later stages of alcohol addiction.

The condition is characterized by the following symptoms:

• partial or complete memory loss;
• difficulty in creative thinking, inability to distinguish the main from the secondary;
• loss of acute understanding of the subtleties of speech, humor and figurative meaning of phrases and sentences;
• inability to assimilate the necessary information and new skills;
• poor concentration, apathy, slowness in making decisions or answering questions;
• lack of understanding of the importance of the task, lack of commitment, deception and absenteeism due to heavy drinking.

Patients experience an inability to perform even the simplest tasks, including elements of self-care. The ensuing degradation desocializes a person’s personality. The desire to drink is the only motive that brings an alcohol addict into a state of physical activity.

Ethyl alcohol is a drug that causes negative health effects. As a result of prolonged abuse, alcoholic dementia develops, which from a certain point becomes irreversible. The patient may become disabled, completely losing the ability to move and care for himself.

Alcoholic dementia

Once in the body, ethyl alcohol provokes dysfunction of neurotransmitters responsible for human emotions and behavior. As a result of prolonged and systematic abuse of strong drinks, the patient develops addiction and mental disorders, the final stage of which is alcoholic dementia. It marks the beginning of severe intellectual disorders.

Greatest danger for the body it is acetaldehyde formed during metabolism ethyl alcohol. It has a toxic effect on vascular walls, provoking the development of microthrombi and atherosclerosis. Everyone suffers at the same time internal organs, especially the liver, kidneys, heart, gastrointestinal tract and brain.

Alcoholic dementia can be characterized as persistent dementia that appears as a result of long-term damage to neurons by ethyl alcohol. According to statistics, this disease is most often diagnosed in Finland, Asian countries and the countries of the former USSR.

The onset of progression of alcoholic dementia usually occurs around . At this stage, a person completely loses control over the amount of alcohol he drinks, as well as over its quality. He even uses surrogates that directly threaten his life.

The first symptoms of alcoholic dementia are often detected in old age, but can appear much earlier. This depends on the duration of alcohol abuse, concomitant diseases and hereditary factors.

In patients, vital functions of the intellect are seriously damaged or completely lost:

• memory;
• speech;
• reasoning;
• perception.

According to a WHO study, more than 46 million people worldwide now suffer from alcohol-related dementia. Doctors warn that any brain damage is irreversible, because the cells of this organ are not restored. You can only stop further progression of the disease, but this is only possible if the person completely abstains from alcohol.
Video story about alcoholic dementia:

Kinds

Alcohol-related dementia can develop in different ways, affecting certain parts of the brain:

• cerebral cortex;
• subcortical layer;
• multiple areas of the central nervous system.

Most often, people suffering from chronic alcoholism are diagnosed with cortical dementia. In this case, the main blow is delivered to those structures of the cerebral cortex that are responsible for consciousness and memory.

The patient ceases to recognize close people, cannot even remember his own name and does not understand what is happening to him. In addition to thinking, the praxis center suffers. A person loses the ability to perform any practical actions - he cannot write, hold a spoon, and his speech is also impaired.

Subcortical dementia manifests itself with concomitant vascular pathologies. The most affected structures are those that transmit nerve impulses from the cerebral cortex to the underlying sections. The patient's unconscious activity worsens.

The disorders in this case are not as radical as in cortical dementia, but they also pose a danger to mental health. The essence of intellectual processes is changing. The patient’s thinking is inhibited, he is constantly in a bad mood, apathy, which often provokes deep depression.

It is impossible to draw a clear line between cortical and subcortical types of dementia. Both types of illness affect the same part of the human psyche, they just operate on different levels. Often, with subcortical dementia, the patient suffers from memory impairment: he recognizes familiar people and objects, but his ability to remember events is significantly deteriorated. Damage to the praxis center manifests itself in loss of coordination and uncontrolled movements.

Against the background of prolonged alcoholism, it can also cause the development of cortical-subcortical dementia. In such cases, all the clinical manifestations of the forms of the disease described earlier are present.

At the same time, diagnosis is seriously difficult, because often disorders of one of the parts of the brain predominate.

Another type of alcoholic dementia is multifocal, characterized by multiple areas of necrosis and degeneration. Lesions can be localized in different parts of the brain, which directly determine neurological disorders in each individual case. Speech disturbances, loss of ability to perform purposeful and professional actions, memory loss, and disorientation in space are possible.

In addition, multifocal dementia is characterized by disorders of subcortical structures - myoclonus, cerebellum, thalamus. As a result, a person can become fixated on one feeling or thought, and constantly be in a drowsy and lethargic state. The patient's gait often becomes unsteady.
Unlike other types of dementia, multifocal dementia progresses very quickly. In just a few months, complete personal degradation can occur.

The development of alcoholic dementia always occurs in several stages, the course of which depends on the individual characteristics of the patient. Sometimes there come moments when he realizes that he is losing memory and consciousness, and begins to feel that he is becoming an inferior person.

Stages of development of alcoholic dementia

Symptoms of true dementia can accompany pseudodementia, as well as reactive states. This creates additional difficulties in diagnosing the disease.

Based on the extent of damage, dementia is divided into total and lacunar. Total dementia is formed due to large formations and blood flow disorders in frontal lobes.

At the same time, a person’s personality gradually disintegrates:

• intelligence deteriorates;
• the ability to learn is lost;
• the emotional-volitional sphere is disrupted;
• shame disappears;
• the range of interests is limited.

Lacunar dementia develops when the brain structures that are responsible for some of the capabilities of intelligence are damaged. First of all, the patient's short-term memory decreases: he forgets where he is, what he was going to do a minute ago. The emotional-volitional sphere is slightly disturbed, but asthenic disorders may appear, including tearfulness and mood swings.

Based on severity, there are 3 types of alcoholic dementia:

1. Light.
2. Moderate.
3. Heavy.

Mild dementia is characterized by serious impairment of intellectual activity. However, the patient retains the ability to critically evaluate the disease. A person can live alone, do the usual chores around the house - clean, cook, do laundry.

Moderate dementia is accompanied by more significant intellectual impairment and a decreased ability to critically assess one's own condition. A person begins to experience difficulties in everyday life - when using a stove, TV, telephone, it is difficult for him to open door lock. In this condition, the patient should not stay at home alone for a long time; he requires outside care.

The diagnosis of “severe dementia” is made when the personality has completely collapsed. At this stage, the patient is no longer able to even eat or wash himself. He requires round-the-clock care and supervision - at home or in a medical facility.

Causes

The main reason for the development of alcoholic dementia is long-term exposure to ethanol.

The mechanism of alcohol’s effect on the body is very complex, but among its main directions the following can be distinguished:

• intoxication of brain tissue;
• circulatory disorders in the brain;
• damage to the central nervous system by ethanol metabolites.

Penetrating into the body, ethyl alcohol immediately enters the bloodstream, with which it spreads to all organs, including the brain, where it causes severe tissue intoxication. Since nerve cells cannot be restored, with each drink the patient’s intellectual disorders begin to progress.

Ethanol also disrupts vascular tone, causing worsening blood circulation. Some areas of the brain begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen and nutrients. As a result, the cells of the organ gradually die, and at the same time the vascular walls are destroyed.

Ethanol metabolites, including acetaldehyde, pose a serious health hazard. They provoke the destruction of nerve cells. This leads to alcoholic polyneuropathy, which is often accompanied by dementia.

The possibility of developing dementia is very high.

However, there are also several risk groups, which include:

• elderly people;
• patients with diabetes mellitus;
• genetically predisposed people;
• experienced smokers;
• patients with pathologies of the heart and blood vessels.

Doctors also note that less educated people with a narrow range of interests are more susceptible to dementia. They are the ones who most often suffer from chronic alcoholism, which leads to dementia.

Signs and symptoms

Signs of alcoholic dementia clearly differ according to the stages of development of the disease. At an early stage, they are still weakly expressed and cause little concern not only to the person himself, but also to loved ones.

The first signs include:

• infantilism;
• memory impairment;
• spatiotemporal disorientation;
• false memories.

The main symptom of the onset of dementia is the appearance of childish character traits. The patient cannot argue his point of view or make any decision on his own. This behavior is sometimes mistakenly mistaken by others for a “midlife crisis” or normal fatigue.

Infantility is accompanied by memory disorders - verbal, figurative and emotional. The patient forgets what he said or did recently.

Spatio-temporal disorientation manifests itself in a person’s inability to answer questions about what date or time of year it is; he cannot even find his way home on his own. These disorders are often accompanied by false memories formed against the background of real events in the patient’s life.

It is very important to start treatment when the first symptoms of alcoholic dementia appear, since at first they are still reversible. However, without treatment, the symptoms of the disease progress.

Subsequently, symptoms of dementia are added to them:

• loss of ability to analyze and generalize;
• loss of concentration;
• difficulty switching from one activity to another;
• narrowing the range of interests;
• thinking by primitive associations.

As alcoholic dementia progresses, the patient becomes pessimistic and overly conservative. He fondly remembers the time when alcohol was cheap and compares it with the present. All the patient’s interests come down to eating and drinking alcohol.

Diagnosis of dementia

Consequences and forecasts

At an early stage, alcoholic dementia can still be completely cured by completely abstaining from alcohol, diet and taking vitamins.

Otherwise, irreversible consequences will develop:

• marasmus;
• personality degradation;
• amnesia;
• immobilization;
• disability.

Dementia is irreversible and cannot be treated - it is only possible to stop the further development of the disease in order to prevent a situation in which it becomes dangerous for a person to be left alone. Although female alcoholism is considered incurable, it is easier to reverse dementia in the fair sex than in men. However, in any case, long-term rehabilitation will be required with the work of qualified psychotherapists and moral support from loved ones.

Alcoholic dementia develops quickly and leads to complete personality degradation, which is also irreversible. A person becomes selfish and shows aggression in response to any criticism addressed to him or the inability to get what he wants. He loses the ability to love, sympathize with other people, and rejoice.

Gradually, the patient’s imagination completely disappears, and his flat humor becomes understandable only to the alcoholics with whom he drinks. Plyushkin syndrome is also observed: a person litters his apartment with garbage, which he considers necessary and useful. He becomes so suspicious that he stops letting even close people into his home.

Rapidly developing amnesia erases all important moments from the patient’s memory. He does not remember his childhood, youth, and ceases to recognize his relatives. Even the patient’s own reflection in the mirror begins to frighten him, because it seems alien to him.

Alcoholic dementia becomes a difficult ordeal for the patient’s loved ones, whom he blames for everything, showing aggression. Often, scandals arise on this basis with police intervention caused by frightened neighbors.

A severe form of alcoholic dementia leads to disability. A person’s level of development becomes a child who cannot cook food, go to the toilet on his own, or open the door with a key. There are cases when patients fall into childhood and remain there forever - they try to go to kindergarten or school, or play with the kids in the yard.

With the coming finite degree With alcoholic dementia, a person falls into mental and physical insanity. He loses strength, speaks slurred, his pupils stop responding to light, his gait becomes staggering, and constant tremors of his arms and legs appear.

If left untreated, the disease ends in complete depletion of the body due to prolonged intoxication. The person stops walking, and his consciousness becomes confused. He can no longer take care of himself and live independently.

Treatment

To combat alcoholic dementia, the first step is to convince the patient of the dangers of alcoholism and the need to completely eliminate alcohol from his life. However, any conversation about the dangers of alcoholism should begin only after the person has sobered up, otherwise he simply will not be able to perceive the information.

Treatment of the disease must be comprehensive. First, it is necessary to stabilize the person’s condition and reduce the severity of symptoms. In parallel, treatment of concomitant diseases that complicate the course of alcoholic dementia is required - for example, atherosclerosis, hypertension.

If treatment begins at an early stage, when memory and intelligence impairments are still mild, the following medications show effectiveness:

• nootropic drugs;
• means for improving cerebral circulation;
• drugs to improve metabolism.

Nootropic drugs like Nootropil stimulate mental activity, memory and increase the body's resistance to ethanol intoxication. To improve brain nutrition, Cinnarizine, Cinnarone, and Vertizine are prescribed. Cerebrolysin stimulates the transport of glucose from the blood to the brain, which is necessary to maintain normal intellectual activity.

Because dementia is often accompanied by difficulty sleeping at night and irritability, patients are prescribed sedatives. If a depressive disorder is present, the patient may be prescribed antidepressants.

Severe forms of alcoholic dementia are accompanied by psychomotor agitation of the patient. In such cases, he is given , which calms him down without increasing drowsiness.

As part of complex therapy for alcoholic dementia, doctors often recommend that their patients take alcoholic tinctures of medicinal plants:

• Eleutherococcus;
• Leuzea;
• ginseng;
• lemongrass

This natural remedies, improving memory and concentration. To eliminate anxiety and improve mood, it is also useful to take an alcohol tincture of the roots of the plant. Remedies based on fennel and valerian roots help with increased excitability, and mint leaves help with insomnia.

Because the body of a person suffering from alcoholic dementia is weakened, they are also prescribed vitamins and minerals, including:

• Vitamin E.
• Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Coenzyme Q10.

Research shows that vitamin E slows the progression of alcohol-related dementia. However, it is important to strictly follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor. An overdose of this vitamin can be dangerous for people with weak hearts.

Omega-3 fatty acids protect against mild cognitive impairment caused by vascular problems. They also reduce the risk of stroke and cardiac death.

Coenzyme Q10 is an effective antioxidant. It reduces the severity of intellectual and memory disorders.
It is important that the person is in a comfortable environment during the treatment period. The room should be bright, and if there are no other people in it, the TV or radio should be constantly on. This will help the patient concentrate.

In order for social rehabilitation to proceed faster, a person must maintain contacts with the outside world. This is facilitated by visits to relatives, friends, and doctors.

To maintain temporal orientation, the patient must constantly see the calendar and clock. To prevent him from losing his orientation in those around him, every medical worker should wear a badge with his name and constantly remind the patient what his name is.

If the disease has been advanced and the person becomes immobilized, it will no longer be possible to cure him. He will become disabled and will need constant care at home. It can be carried out by both relatives and hired nurses with or without medical education.

Measures to prevent alcoholic dementia are based on minimizing the effect of risk factors and preventing the main causes of the development of the disease. Thus, a major role in the formation of chronic alcoholism plays hereditary factor. Therefore, people who have had this disease in their family should drink alcohol with extreme caution, or better yet, give it up completely.

Other risk factors for alcohol-related dementia include:

• Metabolic disorders.
• Age-related changes in the level of sex hormones.
• Infectious diseases.
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Decreased intellectual and physical activity.
• Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Accordingly, in order to avoid alcoholic dementia, a person must move more, develop intellectually, and eat right. It is also necessary to take hormones if their natural production decreases, but only as prescribed by a doctor, get vaccinated and treat diseases in a timely manner. However, the main preventative measure is giving up bad habits.

Alcoholic dementia is a persistent dementia that develops as a result of prolonged exposure to ethyl alcohol. Often, neither people who abuse alcohol nor their relatives know anything about this disease, so it progresses without treatment, turning a person into a disabled person. While a liver damaged by alcohol can be replaced during a transplant, brain cells cannot be restored in any way.

The mechanism of occurrence of alcoholic dementia

Regularly entering the body, ethyl alcohol begins to affect the brain in several directions at once:

• poisoning tissues - alcohol quickly spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body, causing severe poisoning of brain tissue and killing its cells;
• disrupting blood circulation - due to impaired vascular tone, some areas of the brain suffer from a lack of oxygen, so their cells die;
• affecting the central nervous system with its breakdown products - ethanol metabolites, for example acetaldehyde, destroy neurons, causing and then dementia.

Alcohol-induced dementia often occurs during pregnancy and cannot be completely cured. Therefore, it is better to start getting rid of addiction right now, for example, by ordering special means on the Internet so as not to become a helpless disabled person through an addiction to drinking.

Alcoholics who:

• crossed the line into old age;
• suffer from diabetes;
• are heavy smokers;
• have pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
• have close relatives suffering from alcohol-related dementia.

Signs and symptoms of the disease

Alcohol-induced dementia develops in several stages. There are moments when the patient realizes that something wrong is happening to him, but in the first stages neither he nor his relatives can suspect a progressive disease.

The first signs of dementia are:

• infantilism - a person begins to display personality traits characteristic of childhood: the inability to make decisions and defend one’s position.
• memory disorders - the patient forgets what he said or did a few minutes ago;
• disorientation in time and space - a person cannot remember what date or day of the week it is;
• false memories – based on real events, the patient creates non-existent ones.

Often, relatives of an alcoholic attribute such manifestations of dementia to ordinary fatigue or the so-called midlife crisis. Without treatment, the prognosis becomes disappointing, and the above symptoms are accompanied by other signs of dementia: a person becomes inattentive, cannot analyze events, thinks in primitive associations, and his circle of interests narrows to food and drink.

Types of alcoholic dementia

Based on the severity of the disease, alcoholic dementia comes in three types.

• Mild dementia. The patient exhibits symptoms, but he can take care of himself and live alone.
• If an alcoholic does not begin treatment for addiction, the disease becomes moderately severe. Along with the inability to critically evaluate the deterioration of memory and thought processes, the patient begins to experience difficulties in using household appliances, is unable to prepare food, or open the door lock. Such a person cannot be left alone for a long time. Often, alcoholics at this stage of dementia become aggressive and do not allow anyone into the house, see hallucinations, and begin to litter the house with all sorts of garbage.
• Severe dementia refers to complete dementia and is the final stage of the disease. If a person does not give up alcohol in time, he may fall into childhood and remain in this state for the rest of his life. The patient becomes physically and mentally exhausted: his gait becomes unsteady, his limbs constantly tremble, and his speech is incoherent. The further prognosis is disability, that is, complete immobilization.

On average, alcoholic dementia shortens life by 4-5 years, and in the acute course of the disease, death is possible even after six months.

Prevention and treatment

People who abuse alcohol need to know that dementia that develops as a result of alcoholism cannot be completely cured. You can only stop the progression of the disease if you start treatment at an early stage. The first enemy of recovery is alcohol addiction.

If an alcoholic cannot or does not want to visit the hospital, a doctor can be called to your home or you can buy medicines on the Internet without even leaving your apartment.

In addition to giving up alcoholic beverages, the following have a positive effect on the prognosis of the disease:

• to give up smoking;
• moderate physical activity;
• support for mental activity (reading books, solving crosswords);
• balanced diet;
• blood pressure control;
• walks in the open air.

Treatment of the disease is carried out by several specialists at once, depending on concomitant diseases: neurologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist. The attending physician prescribes complex therapy, taking into account the patient’s condition, his age, symptoms of the disease and characteristics of the body. Treatment consists of:

• taking medications;
• consultations with a psychologist;
• general therapeutic measures;
• replacement therapy.

In general, all measures are aimed at eliminating symptoms, detoxifying the body and restoring the normal functioning of all its organs and systems. A favorable prognosis for mild dementia is effectively influenced by nootropic drugs (stimulating mental activity), drugs that improve cerebral circulation, drugs to normalize metabolism (vitamins).

Problems with deteriorating sleep quality, irritability and depression are solved by sedatives and antidepressants. The doctor may also prescribe natural herbal remedies: mint leaves for insomnia, remedies based on fennel and valerian root for increased excitability.

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Multiple symptoms due to prolonged alcohol abuse with a toxic effect on the cerebral hemispheres and cortex, suppression of their basic functions - this is alcoholic dementia or dementia. The essence of pathological changes lies in the persistent loss of cognitive and everyday skills, and the possibility of psycho-emotional contacts. The disease is gender-specific: men over 55 are more susceptible to dementia, but today there is a persistent trend toward younger-looking dementia.

About 50 million patients worldwide face a similar problem. There are also endemic areas where dementia due to alcoholism is almost a common occurrence: the post-Soviet space, Finland, the Asian region. Dementia is one of the causes of disability, since patients suffering from it are deprived of the opportunity to care for themselves independently, even at the everyday level. The main danger of alcoholic dementia is its spontaneous development into any stage of alcohol dependence, at the level of everyday drunkenness, and not just at the final, terminal stage of alcoholism.

Ethanol in the patient's body destroys neurotransmitters, which are designed to coordinate a person's emotional perception of the environment and his behavior in response to it. As long as the connection between emotions and behavior remains, a person is adequate, he reacts to all events around him and can make one or another decision appropriate to the situation. Alcohol actively interferes with a person’s mental activity, first causing encephalopathy, and then persistent mental disorders. Dementia is the beginning of the destruction of a person's intellect.

Acetaldehyde, one of the metabolites of ethanol, is considered the active toxic substance. It paralyzes blood vessels, takes them completely under control, changes properties vascular wall. It loses its elasticity, active thrombus formation and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques begin in the vessels. At the same time, the functioning of all organs and systems is disrupted: the kidneys, liver, heart, digestive system and brain are affected. Ethyl alcohol inhibits the activity of its neurons, toxically destroys the cortex, resulting in dementia.

Particularly severe disorders are caused by the use of surrogates, which the alcoholic already uses. late stages alcohol addiction. In this case, dementia becomes a harbinger of death. Can make the situation worse hereditary predisposition to alcoholism. Those around them begin to acknowledge the fact that the patient has lost the ability to perceive reality, reason, remember, and speak clearly. It is impossible to restore lost functions, you can only stop the development of dementia.

Types and forms

Alcoholic dementia develops according to classical laws; its distinguishing feature is only that the cause of the disease is known. The patient loses his human image gradually, as the cells of the liver and cerebral cortex are destroyed: the concentration of acetaldehyde increases.

There are also factors that provoke dementia:

• Brain injuries.
• Hereditary predisposition, Alzheimer's, Behçet's, Pick's diseases.
• Benign or malignant neoplasms brain.
• Abscessation of brain tissue.
• AIDS.
• Chronic meningitis of various origins.
• Ataxia of the central nervous system is a lack of coordination, a precursor to more severe disorders of the spinal cord and brain.
• Vitamin deficiency B.
• Diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders.
• Age hormonal changes organism.
• Pathology of the heart and blood vessels
• Infections of any nature.
• Addiction to alcohol at the age of 50.
• Physical inactivity and intellectual sleep of the brain in the elderly.

Based on the location of the neuronal lesion, dementia is divided into five variants:

• Cortical, affecting the cerebral cortex, is most characteristic of alcoholism and Alzheimer's syndrome.
• Subcortical, the least dangerous, since only the structures that provide connection between the cortex and subcortex are involved in the process; this form manifests itself in Parkinson’s disease.
• Mixed, cortical-subcortical, it accompanies vascular pathologies against the background of progressive alcoholism.
• Lacunar (the first type of multifocal) suppresses the patient’s short-term memory, destroying certain areas of the brain. If the lesion is localized in the areas of the brain responsible for the emotional sphere, then the main symptoms are tearfulness and sentimentality. The situation can be corrected by keeping constant records of your actions.
• Total (the second type of multifocal) is characterized by complete degradation of personality due to the destruction of parts of the brain responsible for concentration, behavior, responsibility, and modesty. The very possibility of understanding the world around is blocked.

All age categories have this distinction, but in older patients there is a different division of dementia, consisting of three options:

• The atrophic form is the beginning of the degenerative process, accompanied by the progression of symptoms of memory and intelligence impairment. It develops after 60 years of age and affects women more often.
• The vascular type is secondary dementia due to stroke, encephalopathy, cerebral aneurysm, and other vascular disorders.
• Mixed dementia is the most unfavorable scenario for the progression of dementia: irreversibility of disorders with antisocial behavior, loss of intelligence, cognitive connections (performance) against the background of hypertension or atherosclerosis.

There is another classification of dementia. Based on the severity of the disease, there are three types of disease:

• Mild – social activity is impaired while maintaining independence at the everyday level.
• Moderate - requiring constant monitoring of the patient, since during this period a person can be socially dangerous even to his loved ones: open the gas valve, leave lunch on the stove, add a toxic substance to food.
• Severe – complete lack of independence.

Doctors insist that the development of dementia can be prevented or significantly slowed down if you know the risk groups. They vary in shape.

Atrophic involves inclusion in the risk group of patients with:

• Atherosclerosis.
• Obesity, hypertension.
• Pathology of the pancreas.
• Chronic oxygen starvation of the brain.
• Loss of interest in life: low activity of the mind and feelings.

Vascular disease develops more often in patients suffering from:

• Bad habits.
• Cardiovascular diseases.
• Violation of lipid metabolism with cellulite and extra pounds.
• Severe diabetes.
• Rheumatism or diseases of a rheumatoid nature.
• Varicose veins.

To prevent the development of dementia in risk groups, it is necessary to minimize the consequences of causes that destroy the body, sanitize foci of infections, select adequate supportive therapy for existing somatic pathologies, take alcohol with special caution, and lead a healthy lifestyle. For dementia, these are not banal words, but a guide to action to maintain a clear mind until old age.

Causes

Today there are more than 200 of them. For both young and old alcohol lovers, ethanol positions itself as a direct cause of the disease or indirect against the background of provoking factors - a concussion, for example.

Additional triggers are:

• Stenosis of the carotid arteries with the development of ischemic syndrome.
• Severe liver pathology with criminal dysfunction.
• Neurodegenerative changes.
• Neurosyphilis.
• AIDS.

Clinic

Alcohol-induced dementia has its own symptoms. The diagnosis of alcoholic dementia is made on the basis of the clinic with confirmation by the results instrumental examination. Manifestations of the disease are staged:

• The first (early) stage of mental disorders causes little discomfort to the patient and his relatives. They are perceived by others as the famous “midlife crisis” or syndrome chronic fatigue. But the appearance of peculiar childish traits, the inability and unwillingness to make decisions and be responsible for them should alert those who are nearby. Not noticing such changes means missing the golden time to start therapy.
• The stage of moderate symptoms (the second stage) is manifested by emotional lability, loss of communication with others, loss of orientation, and memory loss. Sometimes, already at this stage, patients need outside help to take care of themselves in everyday life.
• The third stage (severe) is manifested by a complete loss of will, denial of the existence of loved ones, passive dependence on anyone.

Diagnostics

For diagnosis, in addition to the medical history, five distinctive features dementia due to alcoholism:

• Memory loss, which is indicated by the patient’s relatives and is confirmed in the doctor’s communication with him.
• Aphasia is a sign of toxic destruction of the speech center.
• Agnosia or loss of sensory (emotional) perception.
• Apraxia is the loss of the ability to perform purposeful action.
• Personal degradation: loss of shame, pity, compassion, critical attitude towards oneself, aggression.

These symptoms should be monitored by a doctor for at least 6 months. Disorientation in society is usually three-level: pathophysiological: pathophysiological, psychological and only then social. Distinctive feature behavior is associated with an organic defect of the brain: the localization of the pathological focus, the extent of the affected area, background pathology, age of the patient and duration of alcohol intake. In order to find this focus and navigate the prognosis and therapeutic measures, CT, MSCT and MRI of the brain are performed. If six-month observation of the patient is confirmed by anamnesis and instrumental examination, a diagnosis of alcoholic dementia is made.

Is there a cure for alcoholic dementia?

Alcoholic dementia irreversible and cannot be corrected. But in time, recognized pathology with adequate therapy leads to a sharp slowdown destructive processes and makes it possible to save the patient's life. Naturally, the unconditional condition is the complete rejection of alcohol. Otherwise, personality degradation and death occur very quickly. Symptoms and treatment are closely related to each other.

The most effective therapy is the early stage of alcoholic dementia. With an integrated approach (doctors of several specialties are involved in the treatment: neurologists, psychiatrists, endocrinologists, cardiologists), based on a complete clinical and laboratory examination of the patient, taking into account his age, he prescribes a course of treatment consisting of medication and replacement therapy, psychotherapeutic sessions, immunostimulating drugs, vitamins, folk recipes and measures of social adaptation.

The main emphasis is on detoxification treatment after quitting alcohol. When successfully carried out, it helps restore the functions of internal organs and improve general condition patient. As for medications, antioxidants are used (Mexidol, Flacumin, Quercetin, vitamins C, E, A, B), nootropics (Piracetam, Semax, Ceraxon), vasodilators (Vinpocetine), drugs that improve metabolism and trophism of nervous tissue (Cerebrolysin, Thiocetam, Phezam), vascular drugs (Nitsergoline, Clopidogrel, Trental), antihypertensive drugs (Enapril, Renitek, Co-Renitek), adaptogens (ginseng, Eleutherococcus) and neuroprotectors (Neurovitan, Neuronorm, Complamin) to prevent neuronal death.

Folk recipes basically contain a set of medicinal plants-adaptogens. Our grandmothers successfully used rowan bark in treatment. And today this simple recipe is used to prevent dementia. You need clean drinking water (well water in the original) - a quarter of a liter and 50 g of bark. The ingredients are mixed, boiled for 10 minutes and infused for at least 5 hours. Then the broth is filtered and drunk 1/5 cup - five times a day.

A mixture of carrot, beet and blueberry juice (4 parts blueberries to 1 part vegetable juice mixture) also helps greatly. Drink this composition half a liter a day. When using folk remedies, you need to remember about a possible allergic reaction and always first consult with your doctor and do an allergy test.

Consequences, prevention, prognosis

The prognosis for alcoholic dementia depends on the form, severity of the pathology, its stage and the time of treatment. Quitting alcohol at the first sign of illness is a 90% success rate. The main goal of prevention is persistent inhibition of disease progression: maintaining the ability to work and social adaptation of patients. The worst-case scenario for the development of the disease is disability and death within 5 years from the date of diagnosis. And such a forecast is not uncommon.

The consequences of alcoholic dementia are severe: complete loss of all properties of the human psyche, inability to take care of oneself in everyday life, pathological lies, memory loss. Poorly treated or untimely treated dementia leads to stroke with a negative outcome, while active and timely treatment for alcoholism reliably prevents dementia.

The main contingent - chronic drunkards aged 50 years and older. However, with excessive alcohol consumption, dementia is also possible in middle-aged people. The main cause of the disease is long-term and excessive alcohol abuse. Potential catalysts for the development of dementia - risk factors - include:

• reduced tolerance to alcohol;
• spastic pseudosclerosis, systemic vasculitis, multiple sclerosis;
• hepatic encephalopathy, kidney failure;
• diabetes;
• head injuries;
• arterial hypertension;
• Cushing's syndrome, ALS, meningitis, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease;

• increased levels of homocysteine ​​(a sulfur-containing amino acid);
• deficiency of B vitamins, folic acid, thiamine;
• genetic predisposition;
• hormonal disorders;
• lack of intellectual activity;
• internal infections;
• vascular pathologies, heart diseases.

The mechanism of dementia is simple. The patient has been abusing ethyl products for a long time. The periods of heavy drinking become longer, the number of sober days is reduced.

Within a short time, a persistent need is formed. The daily portion is constantly growing: from a few glasses of beer and a couple of bottles of wine to an almost lethal dose of strong drinks.

Ethanol and its breakdown products (acetaldehyde) enter the various organs and poison them. Intoxication leads to hypoxia, destruction gray matter, degeneration of nervous tissue.

The term implies diversity clinical manifestations dementia developing against the background of long-term toxic effects of alcohol on the brain. Men over 45-55 years of age suffer more often in the post-Soviet countries, Finland and Asia.

Dementia caused by alcoholism is no different from that caused by another cause of damage, and is characterized by changes in thinking, memory, speech and the ability to navigate the world around us, and the appearance of alcoholic encephalopathy.

Dementia is a common cause of disability in older people with a complete loss of self-care ability. The disease has a pronounced impact on the social life of the patient and his family.

Alcoholic dementia can develop not only in the last stage of alcoholism, but also with prolonged “everyday” drunkenness.

Mechanism of dementia development

Toxins released when the body processes ethyl alcohol damage nerve cells in the brain. Gradually, the destructive effect accumulates, necrotic areas form in the subcortical regions and cortex.

On initial stage The central nervous system turns on compensatory mechanisms, trying to maintain functionality, but under the influence of new regular doses of alcohol, the condition progresses. As a result, the patient loses the skills acquired throughout life, including basic ones:

• ability of perception and logical thinking;
• memory;
• coherent speech;
• self-service skills;
• control of physiological reactions of the body.

The development of alcoholic dementia occurs at stages 3–4 of addiction in people who have several decades of dependence on alcohol behind them. It can affect not only older people, but also those who have not yet turned 50 years old.

In most cases, the disease occurs against the background of alcoholic encephalopathy and is combined with manifestations of chronic somatic disorders and psychoses.

Causes of alcoholic dementia

After the age of 20, the human brain begins to lose nerve cells. Therefore, minor problems with short-term memory are quite normal for older people. A person may forget where he put his car keys, or the name of the person he was introduced to at a party a month ago.

Currently, there are more than 200 reasons for the development of the disease. With alcohol dependence or drug addiction, dementia occurs in people of average and young.

Alcohol can be either a direct cause of the disease or an indirect one (for example, a traumatic brain injury as a result of heavy alcohol intoxication).

Usually, when talking about dementia, they mean impaired cognitive functions in elderly and senile people. But alcoholic dementia affects people regardless of the number of years they have lived.

The main reason for the disorder of brain activity due to alcoholism is the continuous intoxication and damaging effects of ethyl alcohol.

All organs suffer from this, including the brain. Alcohol destroys its cells, it stops functioning normally. As a result, memory, attentiveness, and speech deteriorate. The person thinks worse and stops thinking logically. All this affects the emotional level and mental health.

Under the influence of alcohol:

1. Vessels are damaged. Because of this, the blood supply to the brain deteriorates, and as a result, many centers cease to function.
2. Simultaneously with the disruption of blood flow, cells experience and oxygen starvation. Constant hypoxia affects biochemical processes. Tissue death occurs.
3. Frequent increases in blood pressure contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
4. Metabolism is disrupted.

Against the background of a physiological deterioration in the body's condition, Korsakov's (or amnestic) syndrome develops. In addition to the consequences of alcoholism, its formation is affected by traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, impaired blood supply, and deficiency of B vitamins.

Main symptoms of the syndrome:

• Partial amnesia. Due to the inability to assimilate new information, the patient forgets recent events, but perfectly remembers what happened to him in the distant past. If such people move to a new place, then, having left home and not remembering the change of residence, they return to the old address.
• Substitution of events. Having no memory of what happened a few days ago, they fill the gaps in memory with made-up stories. Plots are usually drawn from TV, media, and previously read books. Moreover, they are so confident in their reality that it is simply impossible to convince them otherwise.
• Lack of criticism. The patient is not able to adequately assess his condition and actions. It is difficult to convince him of the need for treatment, since he believes that he is in control of the situation and can stop drinking at any time.
• Emotional lability. Unstable mood, changing several times a day: from apathy to euphoria. Changes in mood are also reflected in movements: the patient sometimes gesticulates excessively, sometimes, on the contrary, he is constrained and motionless.

Fortunately, at this stage, Korsakoff's syndrome is still treatable. To do this, you need to remove the root cause - the abuse of alcohol.

The main cause of alcoholic dementia is long-term alcohol abuse. The ethyl alcohol contained in alcohol breaks down into its components in the body.

The greatest danger is acetaldehyde, which affects the cells and blood vessels of the brain. As a result, cerebral circulation and nutrition suffer, and gradual death of cells occurs.

Accordingly, the nervous activity of the body and brain function are disturbed. These factors provoke mental disorders, early aging and dementia.

Varieties

Depending on the location of the dead areas of nerve tissue, several types of dementia are distinguished, each with its own distinctive characteristics.

Subcortical

The main manifestations include a violation of cause-and-effect relationships, fixation on imaginary problems, and an inability to sensibly assess life situations, the so-called tunnel (narrowed) consciousness.

A person with a similar pathology falls into dementia slowly. In the first stages, even for those closest to him, changes in his intellect are not obvious.

Frequent disturbances in the emotional state, pettiness, and irritability are noteworthy. The patient freaks out for no apparent reason, is offended like a child, and may cry for no reason.

Possible sleep disorders, withdrawal, fearfulness, lethargy, depression, depression. During conversations, the meaning of what was said takes a long time to reach a person.

In severe cases, inappropriate behavior appears: fear of being in an empty room, uncontrolled gluttony, causeless aggression, hostility, prolonged insomnia. Memory functions are usually the last to be affected in this type of dementia.

Cortical

It has a severe course. The main symptom is memory impairment.

A sick person completely loses the ability to remember new information and cannot remember many events from the recent past. Memory loss due to damage to parts of the cerebral cortex affects the most important areas of life: a person becomes distracted, stops recognizing loved ones, forgets his own place of residence, his name, and loses everyday skills.

The condition is often accompanied by Clinical signs Korsakoff syndrome: the appearance of false, including the most fantastic memories. The patient realizes that he is a different person or talks about events that actually did not happen.

Multifocal

Necrotization of areas in most parts of the brain - thalamus, cerebellum, myoclonus - is manifested by disturbances in perception, thought processes, and behavioral reactions.

At first, the person becomes distracted and sloppy, starts talking, and behaves strangely. Then he gradually loses the ability to navigate in the surrounding space, speak coherently, write, and serve himself.

There is complete degradation of personality. This form of dementia progresses very quickly - the patient can completely lose intelligence within a few months.

The line between types of brain damage is very thin - starting with behavioral disturbances and aggressiveness characteristic of subcortical dementia, the disease can develop into a multifocal form with disruption of all parts of the central nervous system.

Alcoholic dementia is a consequence of prolonged intoxication. It can be partial or total. Patients with this pathology are characterized by perceptual and amnestic disorders, disorientation in time and space. Types of alcoholic dementia according to the degree of localization:

• Multifocal dementia is damage to several areas of the brain, which accelerates the disintegration of the drinker’s personality.
• Cortical dementia - when the integrity of the cerebral cortex is disrupted with the formation of an amnestic syndrome and speech disorders.

• Subcortical dementia - damage to blood vessels and subcortical formations. The main violations concern emotional sphere.
• Cortical-subcortical dementia - mixed type violations of the cortex and subcortical formations.

There are three types of alcohol dementia, depending on the areas of damage to the nervous system.

Multifocal dementia

In alcoholic dementia, brain damage occurs due to prolonged exposure to alcoholic beverages, as a result of which a person’s mental functions (memory, speech, thinking, perception) disintegrate. As a result, the patient begins to lose his human image.

Alcohol has a strong negative effect on the body, in particular on the liver and cerebral cortex, which leads to memory impairment and deterioration of a person’s intellectual abilities at any age.

According to statistics, there are more than 46 million people with dementia worldwide, and this figure is increasing every year.

Dementia can also be caused by a deficiency of certain vitamins such as B12, B3, thiamine, B9.

Alcoholic dementia manifests itself in the following forms:

Dementia due to alcohol dependence can also be classified according to the nature of the damage to the central nervous system:

1. Destruction of the cerebral cortex.
2. Damage to the subcortical layer.
3. Multiple destruction of various parts of the central nervous system.

In most cases, the condition involves the cerebral cortex. This disorder is characterized by a disorder of the functions for which the affected area is responsible - consciousness and memory.

The subcortical development of the disease is accompanied by vascular pathology. Greatest influence test the structures responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses from the cortex to the lower parts of the organ.

The patient has difficulty with unconscious activities. Subcortical dementia is characterized by less radical disorders, but they are also dangerous for a person’s mental state.

Symptoms of the disease are closely related to the stages of its development. At the initial stage, the signs are weakly expressed; they may not be noticed by the patient’s relatives or by the patient himself. Early stage symptoms include:

The main symptom characterizing the development of the disease is the appearance of immature, childish behavior in the patient. This is expressed in the inability to make decisions independently and select arguments to defend one’s point of view.

Relatives of the patient may justify this symptom as a “midlife crisis” or fatigue. However, memory disorders are added to infantilism.

The person does not remember what he did or said a few hours ago.

The patient begins to lose orientation in space or time. Simple questions about the time of year or date cause significant confusion. The patient may get lost and not remember the way home. Gaps in memory are filled with memories that did not take place in real life.

At an early stage, it is extremely important to start therapy; disorders at this stage are reversible.

Without proper treatment, they develop and develop into severe lesions nervous system.

As alcohol-induced dementia progresses, it causes the following symptoms:

The development of the disease entails the emergence of pessimistic and conservative aspects of behavior. The patient is only interested in food and drink.

Alcoholism has long become not only a personal tragedy, but also a medical problem. Chronic intoxication of the body with alcohol leads to serious pathologies, including the brain.

Memory impairment is the first sign of a disease that doctors call alcoholic dementia or alcoholic dementia. Let's look at the reasons for the development of the disease. Let's look at its symptoms and diagnostic methods.

Let us dwell in more detail on the methods of treatment and prevention of alcoholic encephalopathy.

What is alcoholic dementia

Depending on the parts of the brain that were damaged as a result of alcohol intake, it is customary to distinguish between cortical, subcortical (subcortical) and multifocal types of alcoholic dementia.

1. The cortical type of dementia is the most common in chronic alcoholism, and involves damage to the cerebral cortex. In this case, pronounced symptoms are memory and speech disorders, loss of intellectual abilities. Man degrades very quickly.
2. In the subcortical form, subcortical formations are affected, as well as cerebral vessels. This affects the unconscious function of the brain, disruption of which leads to mental disturbances, irritability, insomnia, and apathy.

With seemingly clear differences in the symptoms of cortical and subcortical alcoholic dementia, only a specialist can distinguish them.

1. Damage in multiple areas of the brain is a hallmark of multifocal dementia. Its signs can be different, it all depends on those areas that were influenced by negative changes. Personality degradation in this case occurs rapidly, within several months.

Alcoholic dementia is divided into two groups according to the extent of the lesion:

• With total, large formations occur, and blood circulation in the frontal lobes of the brain worsens. These processes lead to the disintegration of intelligence, a narrowing of the sphere of interests, the inability to assimilate new information, lack of shame, and disorders of the emotional-volitional sphere of the psyche.
• Lacunar alcoholic dementia is characterized by disorders in the parts of the brain responsible for certain mental abilities. Basically, it concerns violations of short-term memory. On the mental side, sleep disorders, tearfulness, and imbalance may be observed.

Alcoholic dementia also differs in symptoms according to the severity of the disease: mild, moderate and severe.

1. In a mild form of dementia, the patient experiences noticeable impairments in mental activity, but at the same time he is able to perform all usual actions and retains critical thinking.
2. Moderate dementia is accompanied by the inability to perform simple everyday activities. He is not able to open the lock with a key, turn on the stove, make phone calls. There are also problems in the social sphere. A person needs constant help.
3. A severe form of alcoholic dementia is characterized as complete personality degradation. The patient cannot perform the simplest manipulations, serve himself. A person in this state needs continuous care and supervision.

How alcoholic dementia develops, its symptoms

If, despite the deterioration of the condition, the patient refuses treatment and continues to drink, Korsakoff syndrome develops into alcoholic dementia. The first symptoms of brain damage are similar to those of other types of dementia. They develop gradually, in ascending order, constantly getting worse.

First, people notice that:

• It becomes difficult for an alcoholic to think.
• His will weakens, motivation decreases.
• He does not learn new information well.
• Cannot perform two actions at the same time, switches from one to another with difficulty.
• Becomes intolerant and conservative.

Simultaneously with these signs of deterioration in mental state, symptoms such as infantilism and extreme selfishness appear and intensify.

An alcoholic becomes indifferent to many things, his circle of interests narrows sharply: the most primitive desires remain. What occupies him most is drinking and food, while family, the lives of loved ones and work fade into the background. In addition, the patient becomes unable to solve problems, and does not strive to do so, preferring to go with the flow.

A person turns into an absolute egoist, constantly dissatisfied with everything and criticizing everything, but does not tolerate comments addressed to him. Moreover, it causes indignation, sometimes reaching the assault.

The aggravation of the condition occurs with frightening speed:

• The patient’s memory is deteriorating so much that now he cannot even remember events that happened six months ago. Having left the house, he may not return because he is not oriented in space and forgot to voice his address.
• Ceases to recognize not only loved ones, but also himself in the mirror. Confuses names.
• He becomes a tyrant in the family, constantly demanding special attention. He constantly reproaches his loved ones for disrespect and indifference, and lack of care for him.
• He often makes trouble not only at home, but also in public places. To calm them down, you have to call the police.
• Becomes extremely suspicious: he may declare that he is being hunted (followed) or is trying to rob him. But, unlike delirium, the patient retains consciousness.

As the condition worsens, a person with dementia may relapse into childhood. Imagines himself as a child, plays children's games.

Simultaneously with these distortions in behavior, other symptoms of worsening disease appear:

• Sleep and appetite are disturbed. Biological rhythms get lost, the patient can sleep for days on end or stay awake. Feeding him becomes the same problem as feeding a capricious child.
• Self-care and self-care skills are lost. He becomes sloppy, stops washing, cutting his hair, and doing laundry.

On last stage With dementia and alcohol consumption, a person is a pitiful sight. Treatment is no longer possible.

At this point, physical decrepitude occurs:

• The patient becomes weak and exhausted.
• He moves with difficulty and has a shuffling gait.
• Limbs are constantly shaking.
• Speech is impaired, it is incoherent and slurred.

Clinical signs of dementia

The first symptoms of alcoholic dementia are considered to be disturbances in behavioral reactions, memory, disorientation in space or time, and lethargy. Such signs are characteristic of the initial stage of the disorder.

A person periodically forgets what he wanted to do, cannot name the current date, month or time of year, cannot explain the purpose and meaning of his actions, takes on some work several times and immediately gives it up.

Oddities in behavior are accompanied by a change in character: infantile traits appear in him. At the same time, a person can come to his senses and realize the disadvantage of his condition.

At first, those around you mistake such manifestations for banal fatigue or nervous exhaustion.

Over time, the disease progresses, alcoholic dementia manifests itself more clearly: the ability to adequately perceive and analyze information, one’s own and others’ actions decreases.

The patient has difficulty switching from one simple action to another, cannot concentrate on the meaning of the conversation, constantly returns to his favorite topics, and forgets what he said a few minutes ago.

Gradually, the thinking of a person suffering from dementia is reduced to primitive associations: only drinks and snacks are of interest. Outwardly, a person becomes gloomy, aggressive or lethargic, timid. Absurd behavior appears: fear of going out, the desire to pick up and put away all kinds of rubbish at home.

In severe forms of alcoholic dementia, a person becomes disabled: he loses self-care skills, cannot hold a spoon, dress himself, or wash himself. Degradation leads to loss of coordination of movements, inability to walk, and clearly understand what is happening.

Dementia is preceded by amnestic Korsakov's syndrome (Korsakov's syndrome), the symptoms of which are memory impairment, psychosis, confusion, and absent-mindedness. Moreover, a person forgets events that happened to him recently, but he remembers facts from the long past quite well.

For example, he can recite rather lengthy poems that he learned in his youth, or remember all his teachers by name and patronymic. But it is extremely difficult to remember what happened yesterday; the patient may replace actual events with information from TV shows or books, or simply not remember absolutely anything.

Symptoms of dementia

Signs of the disease on different stages are different. At first they are weakly expressed. The first symptoms of dementia include:

• memories that are false;
• memory impairment;
• disorientation in time and space;
• infantilism.

A clear sign of dementia is the appearance of childish character traits in the patient.

He is unable to defend his point of view or make a decision on his own. An alcoholic quickly forgets what he did or said recently.

The disease develops gradually. If it is diagnosed at an early stage, the chance of slowing down regressive changes in the psyche increases.

	Symptoms
	Rigidity of thinking, slowing down of mental processes. Formation of Korsakoff amnestic syndrome. Cognitive impairment. Memory losses. Impaired coordination of movements. Gluttony, reproaches to loved ones due to an imaginary lack of food. Pathological hoarding. Inability to adapt to changing circumstances, idealization of the past, conservatism.
Moderate	Tremor of the limbs. Problems with switching and concentration. Uncertainty of gait, progressive decrepitude. Ability to perform only elementary activities. Non-compliance with hygiene habits. Selfishness, lack of empathy for others. Cachexia (severe weight loss). Incoherence of speech.
	Complete collapse personality. Erasure of individuality. Inability to realize reality and self-service. Desocialization, isolation on oneself. Spontaneous defecation, enuresis, loss of shame. Disability, need for constant care.

Ethyl alcohol is a narcotic substance that causes persistent dependence and pronounced negative consequences for the physical and mental state of a person.

Alcohol abuse, one way or another, affects all vital systems of the body, but has the most detrimental effect on the digestive organs, hematopoiesis and the brain. Exposure to ethyl alcohol destroys brain cells and the vascular system, which affects a person’s mental state.

This influence often contributes to the development of one of the possible scenarios for the consequences of long-term alcohol abuse - alcoholic dementia.

Alcoholic dementia develops smoothly and in the final stages becomes irreversible. A person may become disabled, lose the ability to take care of himself, the ability to move, and almost completely lose his personality.

Ethyl alcohol disrupts the functions of neurotransmitters that are responsible for emotional condition and behavioral features.

Alcoholic dementia is the final stage of the destructive influence of this narcotic substance; it marks the beginning of a person’s descent into the quagmire of mental disorders.

Dementia caused by alcohol is not an independent disease; it is a persistent condition that manifests itself as a result of the destruction of neurons by ethyl alcohol derivatives.

In most cases, this condition manifests itself in the third stage of alcohol dependence.

It is during this period that the patient completely loses the ability to control the quantity and quality of alcoholic beverages consumed.

In most cases, the condition involves the cerebral cortex. This disorder is characterized by a disorder of the functions for which the affected area is responsible - consciousness and memory. The subcortical development of the disease is accompanied by vascular pathology.

The structures responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses from the cortex to the lower parts of the organ are most affected. The patient has difficulty with unconscious activities.

Subcortical dementia is characterized by less radical disorders, but they are also dangerous for a person’s mental state.

The main symptom characterizing the development of the disease is the appearance of immature, childish behavior in the patient.

This is expressed in the inability to make decisions independently and select arguments to defend one’s point of view. Relatives of the patient may justify this symptom as a “midlife crisis” or fatigue.

However, memory disorders are added to infantilism. The person does not remember what he did or said a few hours ago.

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If a patient develops alcoholic dementia, the symptoms of this disease will appear depending on its stage. Signs of dementia:

• alcoholic dementia causes a person to feel apathy - a lack of motivation to take any action;
• speech impairment manifests itself in the form of misunderstanding native language and unclear pronunciation of words;
• cognitive decline is one of the most serious symptoms of dementia;
• memory deterioration at the initial stage of the disease does not clearly manifest itself, however, as the disease progresses, the person begins to forget current and past events, things and persons;
• Slow and unclear thinking indicates the onset of the disease. As dementia progresses, it becomes more difficult for the patient every day to perform usual activities: brushing teeth, tying shoelaces.

Alcoholic dementia, the symptoms of which are similar to other diseases, requires the patient to stop drinking alcohol. In this case, regression of the disease is possible. Neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital are developing a special set of measures that are effective for the treatment of alcoholic dementia.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of “alcoholic dementia” is made after collecting a detailed medical history and conducting instrumental studies:

• MRI of the brain - reveals the degree of tissue atrophy, allows you to assess the remaining activity of the central nervous system;
• Ultrasound scanning of the brain reveals atrophic changes in blood vessels.

Toxic damage to the brain by alcohol - disruption of blood supply, nutrition and death of neurons - can be stopped at the first stage of dementia. With adequate treatment, the symptoms disappear and the person is able to lead a full life.

The second and third stages are incurable, as they are the result of irreversible changes. There is only a chance to slow down the degradation with the help of medications.

Prescribed therapy

Neurologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists and narcologists are involved in the treatment of alcoholic dementia. If there are concomitant diseases of internal organs, specialists of the appropriate profile are involved.

The main condition of therapy is complete abstinence from alcohol. In this regard, additional difficulty may arise withdrawal syndrome at the patient.

Fighting physical and psychological dependence from alcohol is one of the most important stages of treatment. If a person relapses and returns to drinking alcohol, the use of medications will be useless.

A set of medications prescribed to relieve symptoms of dementia and protect the brain from destruction includes:

• nootropic drugs that stimulate mental activity, improve nutrition and have a neuroprotective effect;
• drugs for detoxifying the body;
• antioxidants;
• sedatives and tranquilizers if necessary to eliminate increased nervous excitability and associated attacks of aggression;
• complexes of vitamins, minerals and organic acids to provide the body with the necessary active substances.

Neurologists and psychiatrists are involved in the diagnosis and treatment of dementia. First, the doctor talks with the patient and offers to undergo simple tests, helping to assess memory and cognitive abilities. A person is asked about well-known facts, asked to explain the meaning of simple words and to draw something.

It is important that during the conversation, the specialist doctor adhere to standardized methods, and not focus only on his impressions of the patient's mental abilities - they are far from always objective.

To identify the disease, determine its stage and severity, the patient is assigned examinations and tests. One of the most effective diagnostic methods is the SAGE dementia test. With its help, you can determine the level of memory and intelligence.

The results can warn about the risk of developing alcohol-related dementia routine tests- cholesterol levels, blood pressure indicators. Diagnostics allows you to determine true nature diseases. Any of the factors can become a catalyst for degenerative processes and the development of dementia.

Main types of disease diagnosis:

• general examination, medical history;
• tests: UAC, biochemical analysis blood, general urine analysis;
• vascular screening, Doppler sonography;
• MRI of the brain;
• EEG with mapping to assess the state of mental functions (adaptation, speech, memory, perception);
• Ultrasound of internal organs (kidneys and liver):
• determination of the level of homocysteinuria;
• special tests to detect pathology.

Trembling of the fingers, caused by constant intoxication of the body, may be mistakenly perceived as a manifestation of Parkinson's disease. Loss of intelligence in idiopathic syndrome is possible, but only as a special case.

Medical statistics indicate that alcoholic dementia is most often diagnosed in Asian countries, former CIS countries and Finland. Typically, this disease occurs in people aged 50-70 years, but it happens that the problem is detected in thirty-year-old patients.

The main tools for diagnosing alcohol-related dementia are:

• analysis of complaints from the patient and his relatives;
• physiological examination;
• laboratory tests - general and biochemical blood tests, general urinalysis;
• MRI of the brain;
• Ultrasound of cerebral vessels;
• Ultrasound of the liver and kidneys.

Based on the collected data, the specialist determines the nature of the disease, type, type and severity, and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Detecting alcoholic dementia in people who frequently drink alcohol is a challenge for neurologists. Alcohol-related dementia can be diagnosed using laboratory tests, CT scans of the brain, and MRI.

During diagnosis, a neurologist can determine one of three degrees of dementia:

• mild dementia, in which the patient has not lost self-care skills, but there is a significant personality disorder;
• moderate form, characterized by severe psychological disorders in combination with everyday difficulties;
• severe dementia, in which there is a complete personality disorder and loss of key functions. In this case, a person needs the help of loved ones, since he is not able to take care of himself.

Treatment

Treatment must be comprehensive. Several specialists deal with such patients:

• narcologists;
• neurologists;
• psychiatrists;
• endocrinologists.

The patient is prescribed medication:

• nootropic drugs;
• neuroprotectors that help save brain cells from death;
• vasoactive medications;
• metabolic, neurotrophic drugs that improve the nutrition of brain tissue;
• drugs that lower blood pressure, normalize blood flow and the functioning of the vascular system.

The patient also requires psychological help. The specialist is fighting psychiatric and neurological symptoms alcoholism until they can be eliminated completely. After treatment, it is important to prevent relapse. For this purpose, special psychological training is used.

Treatment for dementia depends on its causes. During degenerative processes in the brain, nerve cells die and cannot recover. The process is irreversible, the disease is constantly progressing.

Therefore, in Alzheimer's disease and others degenerative diseases a complete cure is impossible - at least today such drugs do not exist. The main task of the doctor is to slow down pathological processes in the brain, to prevent further growth of disorders in the cognitive sphere.

If degeneration processes in the brain do not occur, then the symptoms of dementia may be reversible. For example, restoration of cognitive function is possible after traumatic brain injury or hypovitaminosis.

Unfortunately, alcohol-induced dementia has no cure. Of course, with the help of some medications you can slow down the course of the disease, but you will not be able to get rid of it completely. As a rule, damaged nerve tissue and blood vessels are not restored, and intelligence does not return.

If you give up alcohol and start treatment in a timely manner, the prognosis for life and health is relatively favorable. Correct therapy helps to significantly slow down the course of the disease, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to restore impaired functions. If a person continues to drink, he will face an extremely unfavorable prognosis.

Treatment with medications

Unfortunately, without such intervention it is unlikely that it will be possible to help a person with dementia, despite the fact that pharmaceuticals used to treat dementia can harm an already fading body.

Psychological help

A specialist in the field of psychiatry will support the patient in quitting alcoholism and will immediately begin to deal with neurological and psychiatric symptoms until they are completely eliminated.

Activities aimed at prevention

From overuse alcoholic drinks affect almost all human organs, but especially the brain. Based on these considerations, as a rule, treatment pharmaceuticals includes:

• nootropic drugs (Pyritinol or Piracetam);
• neuroprotectors that save brain cells from death;
• antioxidants (Tocopherol);
• neurotrophic and metabolic agents that enhance the nutrition of brain cells (Cerebrolysin);
• vasoactive drugs (Ginkgo biloba, Vinpocetine);
• medications that lower blood pressure;
• drugs that promote normal operation vascular system and good blood flow (Nitsergoline).

All medications are prescribed according to the doctor’s instructions; strict adherence to the course prescribed by him is mandatory.

• Have you tried many methods, but nothing helps?
• Another coding turned out to be ineffective?
• Is alcoholism destroying your family?

Several specialists are involved in the treatment of the disease: neurologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, doctors of other specialties (for example, in the field of psychiatry).

Based on the actual condition of the patient, his age, symptoms and individual characteristics of the body, the doctor prescribes complex therapy, which includes:

• drug treatment;
• psychological consultations;
• general therapeutic measures;
• replacement treatment;
• preventive measures.

Therapy is most effective in the early stages of the disease, since the consequences that occur at a severe stage are already irreversible. Getting rid of alcoholic dementia is impossible without giving up drinking. Therapy is aimed at getting rid of symptoms, detoxifying the body and restoring the functioning of internal organs.

There are no clear preventive measures against this disease, but to prevent alcoholic dementia it is recommended:

• do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages;
• lead an active lifestyle with daily moderate physical activity;
• follow a proper balanced diet;
• consume a sufficient amount of vegetables and fruits, including juices from them, to maintain vitamin balance in the body;
• maintain mental activity (read books, memorize poems, etc.);
• stay in the fresh air more often and ventilate the room;
• control pressure.

The development of alcoholic dementia occurs especially in older people due to weakening of the body, due to genetic predisposition, frequent stress and the presence of bad habits (for example, smoking).

Medicines

When drinking alcohol, a person’s internal organs, in particular the brain, are primarily affected. That is why the course of drug treatment for alcoholic dementia includes:

• antioxidants (like tocopherol);
• nootropic drugs (piracetam and pyritinol);
• vasoactive drugs (vinpocetine, nicergoline, ginkgo biloba);
• metabolism and neurotrophics for enhanced nutrition of brain cells (Cerebrolysin);
• vascular agents(nicergoline);
• drugs that lower blood pressure;
• neuroprotectors to prevent brain cell death.

Medicines are prescribed at the discretion of the doctor and depending on many factors (the age of the patient, whether he has an allergic reaction to certain medical supplies etc.).

Folk remedies

Recipes from traditional medicine are not an alternative to treatment by a doctor. Self-medication can lead to aggravation of the disease and the emergence of even greater health problems.

Traditional medicinal recipes can improve the patient’s well-being and reduce the negative effects of certain medications. However, it should be remembered that many medications already contain some herbs in certain proportions, so if medications and folk remedies are used simultaneously, an overdose may occur.

It is for this reason that doctors strongly recommend consulting about the folk remedies you are taking and their possible dosages in order to avoid dire consequences.

One of the most effective recipes from traditional medicine to help fight alcoholic dementia is a tincture made from rowan bark.

To prepare the medicine you need only 2 ingredients:

• ¼ liter of drinking water;
• 50 g rowan bark.

Cooking process:

1. pour liquid over the bark and bring it to a boil;
2. after this, continue to boil the water for at least 10 minutes;
3. the decoction must steep for another 5 hours before use;
4. Before taking, the infusion must be filtered.

Rowan tincture is taken 3 to 5 times a day, 50 ml.

In addition to the above recipe, it is recommended to restore the body’s strength and improve memory. daily use blueberry juice and a mixture of carrot and beetroot in proportions 4:1. The drink costs half a liter per day.

The only chance for a favorable prognosis for this disease is timely treatment at the first stage of symptoms.

Important! To date, no drug treatment for alcoholic dementia has been developed.

Improving the quality of life of the patient and his family is possible by performing a number of tasks: 1. increasing the patient's physical activity; 2.

early detection of dementia;3. treatment of concomitant diseases; 4.

normalization of diet; 5. refusal of alcoholic drinks;6.

Creation comfortable conditions for the patient. Great importance plays a role in the treatment of other diseases.

Diabetes, hypertonic disease are risk factors for accelerating degradation processes in alcoholic dementia. Among the drugs of maintenance drug therapy, doctors distinguish: nootropic substances, Pentoxifylline, Adaptol; medicine Cerebrolysin; antioxidants (tocopherol, vitamin C).

Dementia due to alcohol abuse affects regardless of age. Medicine knows cases of the disease in 30-year-olds.

Much depends on genetic predisposition and chronic diseases. The treatment process is similar in many ways to treatment for other types of dementia.

The main requirement that must be met is to stop using alcoholic drinks. Only in this case can the disease recede or stop.

If you catch the disease at the very beginning, at the first manifestation of symptoms, then the person can be saved. At moderate severity– the treatment does not give the desired effect, since too much brain damage has already occurred, and the process has become irreversible.

At this stage, you can only stop the course of the disease and prevent it from worsening. On last stage, alas, nothing can be done, all that remains is to maintain vital functions.

The success of treatment depends, first of all, on the timely treatment of the patient. It should also be taken into account that it will not be possible to completely restore all functions of the brain and nervous systems, since the processes occurring at this stage are irreversible.

Unfortunately, if the disease is in an advanced stage, the prognosis for recovery is disappointing. Man, with high probability, will be on disability for the rest of his life and will require continuous care.

Treatment of alcoholic dementia consists of gradually changing and improving the patient’s quality of life and stopping the further development of the disease. This process takes place along the following lines:

1. exclusion of alcoholic beverages from the diet;
2. nutrition correction;
3. restorative medical procedures;
4. treatment of side diseases;
5. physical activity;,
6. drug therapy.

Depending on age, symptoms, concomitant diseases, degree and type of dementia, treatment is selected individually for each person. Self-medication is excluded.

During drug therapy, detoxification drugs, antidepressants, antioxidants, nootropics, and vitamins are prescribed. They also prescribe medications to treat side effects.

Treatment of dementia caused by the use of alcoholic beverages is carried out by a neurologist together with a narcologist. After determining the patient’s condition, his age and other factors, the specialist develops a treatment program. At the Yusupov Hospital, proven methods and modern drugs are used to treat this disease.

Alcoholic dementia, the symptoms of which can be pronounced in severe stages, requires complex treatment with the use of drugs and non-drug methods.

Therapeutic interventions in the treatment of alcoholic dementia include:

• taking medications, the action of which is aimed at improving well-being;
• measures aimed at the removal of alcohol dependence;
• replacement therapy;
• psychological support of the patient with the aim of his adaptation in society and everyday life.

Alcoholic dementia with timely diagnosis and leading a healthy lifestyle can be cured. Neurologists at the Yusupov Hospital achieve maximum results in treating patients. You can make an appointment or ask any questions you may have by phone.

Therapeutic measures

Alcohol-induced dementia is irreversible and cannot be cured; you can only stop the progression of the disease in order to prevent serious complications.

It is easier to overcome the development of dementia in women than in men.

The primary goal of therapy is to work psychologically with the patient. A person must realize that he is destroying himself with alcohol. You need to eliminate drinking from your life.

Doctors stabilize the condition of an alcohol addict, reducing the severity of pathological symptoms. It is also necessary to treat diseases acquired during alcohol dependence: arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis.

If a patient seeks medical help at the initial stage of dementia, then the disease is fought with the help of:

• nootropic drugs that improve the body’s resistance to alcohol intoxication, stimulate memory and intellectual activity;
• means that improve brain nutrition;
• medications that promote better metabolism;
• sedatives that help relieve irritability and normalize sleep;
• antidepressant drugs.

Complex treatment of alcoholic dementia is carried out under the supervision of a narcologist, neurologist, and psychiatrist. The choice of therapy is carried out in accordance with the medical history. The condition at the time of treatment, the severity of symptoms, and the presence of concomitant somatic diseases are taken into account.

The main task of the first stage of treatment for alcoholic dementia is to stabilize the condition and prepare the body for the main treatment. The effect of treatment increases if the patient is in his own home in a familiar environment.

Therapy for alcoholic dementia includes the following aspects:

• detoxification procedures;
• prescribing medications in accordance with the protocol for the treatment of alcoholic dementia;
• elimination of blood supply disorders;
• working with the patient’s family and loved ones, developing an algorithm for joint actions for his treatment, socialization, and adaptation to everyday life;
• replacement therapy;
• removal of alcohol dependence, complete cessation of alcohol consumption;
• a balanced diet with sufficient B vitamins;
• intensification of mental stress;
• use of non-drug methods.

Traditional methods of treating alcoholic dementia using new generation drugs make it possible to slow down pathological processes. However, without psychological preparation, the proposal to begin treatment for alcoholic dementia may meet with fierce resistance from the patient.

The cost of some diagnostic tests and drugs for the treatment of alcohol-related dementia may be prohibitive for families with little income.

Maximum effect in the treatment of alcoholic dementia can only be achieved if treated at an early stage. Medicines are prescribed by a specialist based on the results laboratory tests, MRI, screening studies, ultrasound, tests.

List of possible drugs for treating dementia:

• B vitamins, folic acid, thiamine, Coenzyme Q10, Omega-3 fatty acids;
• acetylcholinesterase inhibitors to increase the level of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (from 900 rubles and above);
• Memantine (for stabilization and improvement of cognitive functions) - from 365 rubles;
• nootropic drugs (Piracetam, Nootropil, Pyritinol, Cinnarizine - from 90 rubles, Cerebrolysin - from 490 rubles for 10 ampoules);
• Tocopherol and other antioxidants - from 70 rubles;
• Haloperidol, antidepressants;
• Vinpocetine (from 130 rubles) and other vasoactive drugs to improve blood circulation;
• Semax (from 390 rubles), Cortexin (from 1230 rubles), Citicoline (from 700 rubles);
• Gingko biloba to protect cell membranes - from 150 to 670 rubles.

The use of traditional medicine in combination with modern drugs increases the chances of achieving positive dynamics in the treatment of alcoholic dementia. The use of traditional medicine without intensive treatment of alcoholism and its consequences can improve the symptoms of dementia only temporarily.

• herbal medicine: decoctions, tinctures, sedatives, vegetable and berry juices;
• sound therapy - for relaxation and positive emotions;
• aromatherapy - to prevent the loss of acetylcholine (melissa is especially useful for the prevention of dementia);
• acupuncture - to stimulate the body.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine recipes should not replace traditional treatment, and for their use it is necessary to consult with your doctor. If he approved the combination of drug and folk effects, you can take advantage of this, enhancing the effect of the prescribed course.

Folk remedies will perfectly complement pharmaceutical ones and will allow you to get rid of dementia faster.

Medicinal prescriptions will improve the patient’s condition and reduce negative side effect on the organs of medicines. At the same time, we must not forget that many drugs are similar in composition to folk ones, and their combined use can cause an overdose.

Recipe No. 1

Alcoholic dementia is very serious illness, but a tincture of rowan bark will help to cope with it. It is very affordable and easy to prepare.

100 grams of rowan bark are poured with half a liter of ordinary drinking water, brought to a boil and boiled for another 15 minutes, then left for 5-6 hours at room temperature and filtered.

You should drink a glass of infusion three times a day before meals.

Recipe No. 2

Berry and vegetable juice will help restore lost strength to the body and help restore memory. To make it, you need to mix carrot and beet juice 1 to 1, and then add blueberry juice to the resulting mixture, at the rate of 400 ml blueberry juice per 100 ml vegetable juice. Drink it should be half a liter a day.

Recipe No. 3

Most common complications

The best way to combat alcoholic dementia is physical and cognitive activity and giving up bad habits. A positive psychological attitude and family support are important.

Preventive measures- healthy lifestyle, lowering lipid levels, blood pressure control. For chronic drunkards - complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages.

For others, a glass of good wine only occasionally and with a good snack. The struggle is needed not only with the abuse of alcoholic beverages, but also with their consumption in general (V.

Bekhterev).

Intense mental work is the key to maintaining intelligence at any age. Solving crossword puzzles, learning foreign languages, doing creative work - best prevention alcoholic dementia.

It is recommended to retell what has been read, memorize poetry, solve mathematical problems, play musical instruments, and sing. A developed intellect can resist the disease so much that the signs of the disease are outwardly invisible (M.

Healthy lifestyle

Drinkers lose their appetite as alcohol-induced dementia worsens. The body doesn't get enough useful material. Deficiency of B vitamins leads to intellectual impairment. Their deficiency prevents the reduction of homocysteine ​​levels and provokes the development of alcoholic dementia.

To prevent dementia, a low-cholesterol diet with an increased proportion of plant foods is recommended. Turmeric successfully fights amyloid plaques (they provoke the development of dementia). It is better to replace sunflower oil with olive oil and minimize salt consumption. Regular walks and outdoor sports help avoid hypoxia.

Experts' forecast

Alcoholic dementia has been diagnosed in approximately 50 million people. Destruction large quantity Neurons under the influence of alcohol can lead not only to alcoholic dementia, but also to the destruction of all body systems. Toxic effect ethanol, deficiency of B vitamins gradually lead to degradation.

The time factor in the treatment of alcoholic dementia is crucial. Starting treatment for alcoholic dementia at an early stage allows you to improve the condition almost completely or partially. At the third stage of alcoholic dementia, a person becomes disabled, incapable of cognitive activity and self-care.

Eventually, alcohol-induced dementia leads to cachexia, a condition of severe exhaustion. Alcoholics lose weight, become decrepit and unable to perform any activities. They simply lie in bed in the fetal position and do not want to move. The prognosis for a person in this case is completely disappointing.

At the last stage of dementia, there is no point in treatment. Brain functions are impaired to such an extent that a person is not able to perceive reality. He is unable to do anything and take care of himself. Essentially, he can no longer live without help.

Often, lesions of the nervous tissue have an irreversible process, leading to gross changes in the personality, social and everyday life of a person. Properly performed care can slow its progression, but not change the course of the disease.

The lack of treatment for dementia is fraught with a reduction in a person's life expectancy, the inability to act independently and complete dependence on the help of others. Disability due to dementia due to alcoholism is not the exception, but the rule.

Finally, it should be said that the lack of awareness of people about the effects of alcohol on the brain leads to obstacles to the diagnosis of the disease and its treatment.

Dementia and alcohol are often related things, and require explanation for a wide audience of people.

Forecast and preventive measures

At an early stage, dementia of this type can be completely cured. This requires complete abstinence from alcohol, diet, and taking vitamins. If the patient continues to drink, he develops consequences that are already irreversible:

• marasmus;
• amnesia;
• personality degradation;
• complete immobilization;
• disability.

If dementia has already developed, it is an irreversible process and this condition cannot be treated.

Doctors are doing everything possible to stop the further development of the disease. This will prevent a situation where the patient cannot be left alone.

Dementia can develop for a variety of reasons, some of which are not even known to science. Not all of them can be eliminated. But there are risk factors that you can influence.

Key measures to prevent dementia:

• Quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Healthy eating. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, olive oil, lean meats (chicken breast, lean pork, beef), fish, seafood are healthy. Avoid excessive consumption of animal fats.
• Fight with overweight bodies. Try to monitor your weight, keep it normal.
• Moderate physical activity. Physical exercise has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and nervous system.
• Try to engage in mental activity. For example, a hobby such as playing chess can reduce the risk of dementia. It is also useful to solve crosswords and solve various puzzles.
• Avoid head injuries.
• Avoid infections. In spring, it is necessary to follow the recommendations for prevention tick-borne encephalitis, carried by ticks.
• If you are over 40 years old, have your blood tested annually for sugar and cholesterol. This will help to detect diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis in time, prevent vascular dementia and many other health problems.
• Avoid psycho-emotional fatigue and stress. Try to get full sleep and rest.
• Monitor your blood pressure levels. If it periodically increases, consult a doctor.
• When the first symptoms of nervous system disorders appear, immediately contact a neurologist.