Health conditions that mimic signs of dementia

Dementia is a serious mental health condition that primarily affects people aged 65 years and above. As per the data of the World Health Organisation (WHO), currently, more than 55 million people are living with dementia worldwide, and there is an addition of 10 million new cases every year.

Dementia in itself is not a disease, it is a term used to define a mental condition characterised by impairment of at least two brain functions. Alzheimer's disease, Vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease all are types of dementia. It is a chronic condition that gets worse with time and there is no way to prevent it. The typical symptoms of the mental condition include a deterioration in cognitive function, memory loss, learning problems, language issues, and poor judgement skills. Consciousness is not affected in this condition. However, not all kind of chronic forgetful is due to dementia. Some underlying health conditions also lead to serious memory problems and mimic the symptoms of dementia. These signs go away once the condition is treated. Here are 5 health conditions that are mistaken as dementia.

An underactive or overactive thyroid can also mimic the symptoms of certain mental conditions. In case of an underactive thyroid, a person may suffer from temporary memory loss, concentration and mood swings, while an overactive thyroid can cause restlessness and anxiety. Other conditions like Cushing’s syndrome, underactive pituitary gland, liver and kidney diseases may also cause problems with cognitive functioning.

Taking a few specific medications for a long time may lead to several side effects, which may be similar to the symptoms of dementia. These kinds of medication generally are for treating conditions like anxiety, chronic pain, depression, bowel issues, respiratory problems and agitation. Older people are particularly at risk of adverse reactions to medicines. That's because they are more likely to take the same medication for a long time. With age, our metabolism changes and the chances of medicines causing problems also increases.

Brain tumours, malignant or benign, can interfere with the cognition functioning of the brain. Depending on the location of the tumour in the brain, they may lead to personality change and trigger symptoms similar to dementia. It is more common in the case of slow-growing tumours in older adults. Once the tumour is removed through surgery the symptoms also disappear.

Any kind of head injury due to a major fall or repeated smaller accidents can cause dementia-like symptoms. A person may have memory problems, mental slowness, difficulty solving problems, poor concentration and lethargy. That happens due to post-traumatic bleeding inside the skull that leads to clotting of blood called a subdural hematoma.

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that helps to keep our nerve cells healthy and prevent megaloblastic anaemia. It is also needed for making DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid), the genetic material present in the cells. Deficiency of this nutrient may cause symptoms like depression, irritability, poor vision, forgetfulness and lack of concentration, which can be easily mistaken as dementia. As vitamin B12 is found in animal-based food products like eggs, meat and fish, mostly non-vegetarian and vegans are prone to this nutritional deficiency.