When the brain goes ‘awol’
I am fascinated with the human brain. After all, it controls everything we do. EVERYTHING. It takes a moment to stop and really appreciate how much it does. It’s what makes us think (or not), walk, cycle, climb mountains, and go to the moon. My work involves neuroscience and how we can fine-tune our brains to optimise it. To do what we want to do.
And although this is all possible, there is still a domain that is still eluding most neuroscientists and neurologists.
Dementia.
I was not directly impacted by it until recently. I had heard stories from others who experienced it via their parents but never had direct experience. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with dementia two years ago. I saw her in the summer of this year (2022) and she has progressively gotten worse.
The mechanics that keep our brains staying ahead of the game seem to deteriorate. It feels like it goes ‘awol’. And sometimes fast. So hard to comprehend and manage for all those around the person with dementia.
Time and space get so badly impacted too.
My mother-in-law can’t tell how old she is though she remembers her date of birth perfectly. She does not know the time of day, so breakfast and dinner are often mixed up. Space is unidentifiable. She stopped recognising the home that she had been living in for 50 years. And recognising the nearest and dearest becomes a game of chance. Sometimes she recognises her son (my husband, Markus), and other times not.
All very difficult for the immediate family and friends. I often wonder what it feels like for her. There are days when you can see that she is ‘present’. Her eyes are wide and focused but other days not. To me, it feels like the circuitry in the brain goes haywire. Leaving a the eyes vacant.
Science has helped us progress so far ahead in various fields, but we are still nowhere close to finding a solution for dementia. It is known that dementia is caused by ‘protein’ like white deposits along the ‘wiring’ of the brain. But what causes it and why is still unknown.
And dementia is becoming more prevalent internationally. I am hearing of a higher number of dementia patients in Malaysia. And presently as a nation, we are not able to cope with the growing numbers.
Which is different from Austria. My mother-in-law recently moved into a care home for dementia patients and the care and support are incredible. First, operationally they have the technology to support her. Because my mother-in-law is a flight risk, she leaves her room without knowing where she is going, they implanted a chip in her shoe to track her within the home! Her bed has a sensor that alerts the floor staff that she has left her bed. Her door sets off another alert when she opens the door. She is a fall risk too so ‘monitoring’ her movement is crucial.
All this gives my mother-in-law the best of both worlds. She has her ‘independence’ but is supported at the same time. I am not sure how many other countries offer this support.
Second, biologically she is monitored too. There are nurses and doctors on hand to ensure that her physiology is ok. Mentally, they say dementia cannot be reversed but they can slow down the deterioration through mental and physical activities. Which happens at various times during the week.
Right now, I am grateful that my mother-in-law has this support and care. But I can’t help wondering how dementia set in for my mother-in-law. What could she/we have done differently? They say it’s hereditary but there is enough research and data to show that we can break these gene imprints through epigenetics. But that only works if we consciously work on it.
Various functional medicine doctors and neuroscientists are pointing towards healthy diets (low carbohydrates) and intermittent fasting to manage brain health and keep dementia at bay. They say the gut is the second brain and it affects brain health.
If that is a way of keeping the brain from going ‘awol’, I am all for it.
As always, you can reach me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com