Most adults dread the possibility that they or a loved one could succumb to the ravages of
dementia. And if you begin experiencing forgetfulness, confusion, or trouble navigating in familiar areas, you (and your doctor) may assume the worst. Fortunately, when
memory concerns arise,
SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography), a type of functional brain imaging, can provide answers and hope.
SPECT can reveal abnormal blood flow patterns in the brain so that a doctor can determine if a person’s symptoms are from a certain type of
dementia or are not related to dementia at all. In fact, the use of SPECT for assessing suspected cases of dementia is fully supported by major oversight institutions around the world, including the American College of Radiology, the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, and the
Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine.
Without Looking at the Brain, the Correct Diagnosis Can be Missed: Here’s Why
Brain SPECT imaging is so important because not all people who struggle to remember things have a
neurodegenerative disease. Sometimes their symptoms are caused by other problems, even though on the outside it might appear to be dementia. This is why actually looking at the brain is so critical for getting an accurate diagnosis.
Here is a look at 9 conditions that get diagnosed as dementia,
but 4 of them are not dementia at all—in fact, they are reversible brain problems!
Alzheimer’s Disease, which accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases, is caused by deterioration in areas of the brain involved with memory, sensory information, and orientation to time and place, as well as mood and thinking processes. With AD, there’s an accumulation of abnormal proteins between cells (beta-amyloid) and within cells (tau) that disrupt brain function.
2. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)
This condition is caused by the blockage and buildup of cerebral spinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain which then can lead to symptoms such as forgetfulness, lack of judgment, and other cognitive difficulties. Often—but not always—patients with NPH will have urinary incontinence and difficulty walking. Those who don’t have the latter two problems can be misdiagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease. However, when imaging is used and the enlarged ventricles are revealed, a patient would undergo surgery to insert a shunt to drain the excess fluid. This then allows for the dementia-like symptoms to resolve. However, if brain imaging is not done and the NPH remains undiagnosed, the patient will continue to deteriorate unnecessarily.
DIAGNOSIS: NOT DEMENTIA.
3. Frontal-Temporal Lobe Dementia
Frontal-Temporal Lobe Dementia causes malfunctioning of the brain’s frontal lobes, which are involved with executive functions, such as impulse control, planning, judgment, and other cognitive processes. The memory centers in the temporal lobes also deteriorate with this illness. In addition, apathy, behavior problems, and/or personality changes are common with this condition.
4. Vascular Dementia
Vascular Dementia is the result of blood vessel problems that disrupt normal blood flow in the brain. This is usually precipitated by a major
stroke or several smaller ones and can interfere with different functions in the brain depending on the areas affected by low or absent blood flow. In addition to memory problems, vascular dementia can lead to mental confusion and restlessness.
5. Brain Infections
Brain infections such as
Lyme disease can wreak havoc on brain function. As the immune system tries to fight off the invading bacteria or virus, it can lead to significant inflammation and cause cognitive and memory problems, which—particularly in an older person—might be misdiagnosed as dementia. It is very important to look at the brain to identify the underlying cause of symptoms so that the correct treatment plan can be prescribed. Giving a person who has
Lyme disease medication for dementia, rather than an antibiotic needed to fight the bacteria, will likely lead to prolonged—and even worsening—of symptoms and suffering.
DIAGNOSIS: NOT DEMENTIA.
6. Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy Body Dementia, which is related to Parkinson’s disease, develops from a build-up of abnormal proteins in brain cells. These proteins, called Lewy bodies, cause damage to the occipital lobes which are involved with vision processing. This condition leads to visual hallucinations as well as significant disruptions to sleep, memory, and cognition, as well as abnormal movements such as those seen in Parkinson’s (i.e. rigidity, tremors, or shuffling when walking).
7. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
In
head injuries, the two most commonly damaged areas of the brain are the frontal and temporal lobes. These areas are also implicated in certain types of dementia. While having had a
TBI—or multiple ones—is a risk factor for dementia later in life, in most cases, it is possible to improve or even heal the brain after head trauma. Nonetheless, the memory problems, confusion, difficulty with concentration,
anger outbursts, and other symptoms from a
TBI can look a lot like those in dementia. The difference is that with the right strategies and healthy lifestyle changes, the brain of someone with a TBI can get much better, whereas with a dementing illness the brain will continue to deteriorate.
DIAGNOSIS: NOT DEMENTIA.
8. Alcoholic Dementia
If you’ve ever wondered whether or not it’s possible for someone to drink themself to the point of
dementia—it is absolutely possible.
Alcohol is a toxin, and excessive and prolonged use of it damages the blood vessels throughout the body and brain. Over time, this interferes with the ability of brain cells to get the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive, leading to atrophy of the brain. Getting treatment for
alcoholism as soon as possible can help offset the possibility of succumbing to this type of dementia.
When a senior citizen is very forgetful, gets lost driving, and doesn’t take care of his or her appearance, most doctors would diagnose that person with Alzheimer’s disease, because those symptoms are common in AD. In
cases such as this at Amen Clinics, brain SPECT imaging does not show any of the dementia patterns. Instead, they have shown that patients actually had
depression, and when given the right treatment to balance their brain, symptoms improved dramatically.
DIAGNOSIS: NOT DEMENTIA.
Without an evaluation that actually looks at brain function, memory problems—like so many other brain-based disorders—can be easily misdiagnosed. By using SPECT imaging as part of a patient’s full evaluation, the doctors at Amen Clinics are able to diagnose their patients more accurately and, with or without a dementia diagnosis, get them on the best treatment to
optimize their brain health to the greatest extent possible.
Memory problems can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
