Neurological disorders among the elderly: Can their progression be halted?

As people age, they undergo a lot of changes — physically as well as mentally. Some of them are visible like grey hair, wrinkled skin, slow walk, weak eyesight, etc. Due to these physiological changes, the person adjusts his/her behavior too. Our elderly usually avoid noise or large gatherings and instead prefer to spend quality time with family, especially grand kids.

However, there are certain changes that are not visible to the naked eye. They don’t allow the person to ‘grow old peacefully and gracefully’. These invisible changes, slowly alter the brain and the nervous system leading to severe disorders. 

There are many neurological disorders that elderly fall prey to. Some of them have the potential to completely diminish the abilities required  to carry out daily activities.     

Some common neurological disorders which affect the elderly are: 

Neuropathy – a nerve disorder that causes numbness and weakness, often affecting the hands and feet. Diseases such as diabetes can cause this disorder. 

Myopathy – a muscle disorder that causes weakness, usually the most severe in the upper arms and thighs.

Stroke – A life-threatening event that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. It instantly causes face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty.

Epilepsy — A neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness.

Then there is Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease — the most common neurological disorders which affect older people. Both of them are so severe that the patient is fully dependent on others for day to day activities. 

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. It is a progressive form of dementia — a term used to define conditions caused by brain injuries or diseases that negatively affect memory, thinking, and behavior.

It mostly affects people above 65 years of age. However, it does occur in the young too. This early onset happens to people between 30 to 60 years of age who have a family history with the disease. 

It is considered to be the most common form of dementia. Due to its progressive nature, the condition worsens and it becomes harder for people to remember events (even recent ones), and recognize people who are close to them. Eventually, the affected person will need full-time assistance. 

So what are the symptoms? 

A brief bout of forgetfulness is an experience we all have undergone. However, there are certain peculiar symptoms of Alzheimer’s which worsen with time: 

·        Memory loss affecting daily activities 

·        Trouble with familiar tasks 

·        Difficulties with problem-solving

·        Trouble with speech or writing

·        Becoming disoriented about times or places

·        Poor judgment

·        Decreased personal hygiene

·        Mood and personality changes

·        Withdrawal from friends, family, and community

Can Alzheimer’s be treated? 

There is no treatment available that can cure the disorder. However, there are therapies and some medication that can halt its progression. 

Apart from medication, certain lifestyle changes may help in preventing further damage. They include: 

·        Focusing on tasks

·        Limiting confusion

·        Avoiding confrontation

·        Getting enough rest every day

·        Staying calm

Moreover, stem cell therapy, due to its regenerative qualities, is showing a lot of promise in curbing Alzheimer’s.

According to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) scientists, it is possible to generate stem cells from the skin of an adult Alzheimer’s patient and then direct these cells to become different types of brain cells. HSCI investigators claim that they can direct patient stem cells to become brain cells both affected and not affected in Alzheimer’s disease.  Extensive studies and research is ongoing in that front.  

Parkinson’s disease

Another very common neurodegenerative condition caused by the death of nerve cells and occurs mostly in people aged between 50 to 65 is Parkinson's disease. However, it can also occur in young people.  

The initial stages of the condition will turn the affected person expressionless. The person might not be able to swing his/her arms. The person might experience slow or slurred speech. The onset of symptoms is gradual in nature, slowly over the years, sometimes starting with a hardly noticeable tremor in just one hand. 

However, with time, the most common symptoms which appear are: 

·        Tremors

·        Slowed movement

·        Changes in walking

·        Rigid muscles

·        Impaired posture and balance

·        Loss of involuntary movements

·        Speech changes

·        Writing changes

Treatment of Parkinson’s disease: 

Unlike Alzheimer’s, there is a lot of hope for people who are enduring Parkinson’s disease. This disorder can be treated to a great extent by: 

Physiotherapy — which aims at improving mobility, posture, balance, and gait.

Occupational Therapy — which helps people perform their day-to-day activities like eating, bathing, cleaning etc either independently or to the maximum extent possible. 

Speech therapy — which focuses on improving speaking, swallowing, and voice. 

Although tried and tested therapies are available, Stem Cell Therapy is proving to be the best treatment for Parkinson’s due to its ability to renew and regenerate. Moreover, the patient is also saved from the pain caused by surgery and the side effects of medicines as stem cells are injected into the body without making any cuts. 

To treat Parkinson’s, stem cells are transplanted into the patient’s brain, where they replicate the properties of the degenerated cells. As a result, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease gradually reduce.

Consider the case of Dr Reddy (named changed). Imagine a person who has been treating others for more than 40 years was now rendered immobile because of Parkinsons. 

Well, after getting admitted to Plexus, a Bangalore based Neuro and stem cell research centre founded by Dr Na’eem Sadiq, life took a complete turn for Dr Reddy as he underwent the Regenerative Rehabilitation Program. 

When he arrived at Plexus, Dr Reddy had great difficulty walking, used to freeze frequently, had a fixed gaze, poor writing,  and incomprehensible speech. With his situation, he was not even able to attend to his daily chores, and being a doctor again was just a dream. 

However, that dream was realized after Dr Reddy went through the Regenerative Rehabilitation program at Plexus for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.  

The program included stem cell therapy with intense physiotherapy and occupational therapy. 

The physiotherapists worked on his balance and reduction of freezing episodes so that he could regain his walking ability. At the same time, occupational therapists focused on his daily activities which included handwriting — a very difficult thing to restore fully. 

But as predicted, towards the end of the program, Dr Reddy showed considerable signs of improvement which included:   

·        To walk with great ease 

·        legible handwriting

·        Improvement in facial expressions 

·        Improvement in social participation 

It is pertinent to mention that due to stem cell therapy, the dosage of Syndopa — a common drug prescribed for Parkinson’s, was reduced by one-third!

A doctor who was wheelchair-bound and had almost given up on his profession was once again up and walking, treating his patients. It was possible because of the power of stem cell therapy and the professionalism of Dr Na’eem’s team’s at his wonder clinic.