Conditions That Mimic Dementia

Jo C.

- Infections including UTIs

-  Medications including but not restricted to:  antihistamines, antibiotics, BP meds, sedatives, cardiovascular meds, asthma meds, corticosteroids, pain pills, antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, herbals and supplements, many OTC meds and more.  (Never stop meds without MD input and guidance.)

-  Depression

-  Diabetes

 -  Low O2 levels

-  Malnutrition and Dehydration

- Vision and Hearing Problems

-  Electrolyte Disorders

-  Thyroid Disorders

-  Metabolic Disorders

-  Vitamin Deficiencies (Have MD do lab check, do not start supplemental vitamins or minerals without physician input as they can have impact upon prescription meds)

-  Alcohol Use, Abuse

-  Sleep Disorders/Apnea

-  Mental Health Disorders

-  Pain

-  Constipation

-  Malabsorption of Vitamins and Minerals

-  Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

-  Metal and Environmental Toxicity

-  Hypercalcemia

-  Tumors

-  Disorders of heart, lung, liver, kidneys

-  Delirium (may be hospital induced or changes in residential settings;  unfamiliar or disorienting settings)   This topic is so very important and one that is often missed by both family and medical staff including physicians, that I am including a link regarding this dynamic:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/delirium/symptoms-causes/syc-20371386

And of course this is only a partial list.   It is never best to guess; a good physician exam and assessment with a full complement of labs will be helpful for physical causes

J..   

Ed1937

Thank you, Jo. This is an important list, especially for newcomers, but we can all learn more about it.

Jo C.

You are welcome Ed, one of the biggest surprises I had was to find out that antibiotics can cause or greatly increase dementia symptoms.  This happened with my LO.  Levaquin was the culprit for her and it was dramatic.

The first time it happened, no one knew it was the Levaquin, but the second time, it was clear as could be; quite dramatic. Had to put it on her allergy list.

Many different antibiotics can do this, so we need to try and remember that so the MDs do not think it is worsening dementia and then add more meds trying to tamp down the "dementia" symptoms which only ramps things up in another way.

Myself, I cannot take Zithromax, Celebrex or Levaquin - each causes me to become out of focus feeling and to feel considerably off center.   CNS effect; don't care to repeat that; weird feeling.

J.

J.

Ed1937

Jo, I hope you don't mind my posting something I've saved on my computer: 

More than 50 conditions can cause or mimic the symptoms of dementia, and a small percentage of dementias are reversible. Two common examples are dementia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Getting the right diagnosis is important so that you know what options you have, because symptoms subside when the underlying problem is treated.

Distinguishing between types of dementia For physicians and families intent on pinning down a diagnosis, one major complicating factor is the existence of so many kinds of dementia. More than 50 conditions can mimic or cause dementia. (Since I saved this information, I think there are now many more than 50 conditions that have been identified). In some types of dementia, treatment will improve mental functioning, and in a small percentage, the dementia is completely reversible if treatment begins before permanent brain damage occurs. That’s why it is important to report to a doctor any signs of dementia as early as possible. Reversible dementias Reversible dementias are often easier to diagnose than irreversible dementias because they are usually accompanied by other, obvious symptoms. In the following conditions or situations, however, dementia may be the primary, or even the only, symptom. Proper treatment may improve or even restore cognitive functioning. Delirium Delirium causes changes in mental functioning that can closely resemble dementia, but there are two important differences: Speed of onset. The mental changes in delirium develop quickly, often in a matter of hours or days. In contrast, dementia evolves over months or years. Level of consciousness. In delirium, consciousness is either clouded or fluctuates between drowsiness and alertness. Dementia doesn’t affect the level of consciousness. Delirium is considered a medical emergency, in part because it’s often the main expression of a sudden, life-threatening illness. Elderly people are also susceptible to delirium after surgery. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome presents the classic picture of delirium. Similarly, delirium can occur from abrupt withdrawal from benzodiazepines, a group of anti-anxiety drugs that includes diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), and alprazolam (Xanax). Toxic reactions to drugs Medications are common culprits in mental decline. With aging, the liver becomes less efficient at metabolizing drugs, and the kidneys eliminate them from the body more slowly. As a result, drugs tend to accumulate in the body. Elderly people in poor health and those taking several different medications are especially vulnerable. The list of drugs that can cause dementia-like symptoms is long. It includes: antidepressants antihistamines anti-Parkinson drugs anti-anxiety medications cardiovascular drugs anticonvulsants corticosteroids narcotics sedatives Depression People sometimes manifest dementia-like symptoms—forgetfulness, disorientation, inattentiveness, and slowed responses—when they are depressed. This so-called pseudodementia can masquerade as the depression that often accompanies Alzheimer’s disease, but there are subtle differences. Pseudodementia. In pseudodementia, the depressed mood begins before there is any mental decline. Typically, the person complains about memory loss or lack of concentration, looks sad or worried, and speaks in a flat, expressionless tone. Vitamin B12 deficiency Dementia could be a symptom of pernicious anemia, a rare condition caused by low levels of vitamin B12. In people with pernicious anemia, the bone marrow produces red blood cells that are both larger and less numerous than normal (see illustration). In older people, the first symptoms of pernicious anemia are often confusion, slowness, irritability, and apathy. Other symptoms of pernicious anemia include: yellowish skin fatigue shortness of breath headaches numbness or tingling in the hands and feet trouble keeping balance Usually the B12 deficiency that underlies pernicious anemia is not caused by a lack of B12 in the diet. That’s because this vitamin is plentiful in eggs, dairy products, meat, fish, and poultry, and it’s efficiently stored in the liver. Instead, a B12 deficiency usually occurs because an individual can’t absorb the vitamin from food. Fortunately, B12 injections, if started early, can remedy the deficiency and alleviate the symptoms of pernicious anemia. Alcoholism Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, an irreversible state of confusion and amnesia in alcoholics, results from thiamine deficiency. But consuming excessive amounts of alcohol for a decade or more can also cause impaired thinking that resembles Alzheimer’s disease. In dementia due to alcoholism, memory, orientation, and attention deteriorate, although verbal skills are not always severely affected. In this type of dementia, abstinence may partly restore mental functioning.