You Can't Fix 'Em-But What About Family?

[pbetra]

I just think of the story of Robin Williams that has been in the news the last few days. He had a physical illness with a known cause that was mainly manifested in abnormal behavior and mental ways, to the point it drove him to suicide. His wife wrote this very moving piece about it recently:
http://www.neurology.org/content/87/13/1308.full

Even though they couldn't cure him, you have to wonder how much the fact that his wife knew something was physically wrong with him (even though he was misdiagnosed before his death) as opposed to the idea that a midlife crisis is just a "psychological" problem influences the spouse's attitude and acceptance of the condition.

There is actually a disease that has a medical cause that in many ways appears to be a midlife crisis but actually turns out to be a degenerative illness:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/health/...id-life-crisis/

I just think it is entirely possible there is some other physical cause for the more typical midlife crisis if scientists just looked for it. But if you knew that was the reason for your spouse's midlife crisis, wouldn't that at least make you approach it all a bit differently and show more compassion and understanding and patience? Or feel less hurt and less likely to place blame on him or her? Even without any treatment, I think just knowing why it happens would be a big help.

Thank you for the links 2Lady.
I understand where you are getting at

There is a doctor in the US (his name escapes me at the moment - (am having my own dementia moment here but will post on finding) Anyway, his approach to health is mind-body. He makes connections re ailments in the body to 'mental health' issues or human behaviour.

I did write in my earlier response that it may be both scenarios - & that it is 'too early in our overall findings to really discount anything,' including the findings here at the forum.

I really don't know anything of sure but Im just giving you my take on it. I have worked among dementia patients (just one year) & noted that both your articles related to dementias - one was early onset, the other lewy bodies.

How illness manifest in people is often varied as you know. In the case of dementia patients, it WILL manifest itself through memory eventually. Unstable behaviours are very 'global' concerning characteristics, esp. in the beginning. As a result, the common characteristics make it difficult to identify the problem.

We don't fully understand how many behaviours develop & mature. Where do these behaviours 'come' from? Or why are these behaviour(s) the way they are, esp. in the initial stages. On top of it all, the 'beginnings' of a behaviour can be a few months to one a year - and more! Making the 'concept of beginning' a joke! It is all so versatile.

With dementia - PET scans, Mri & other brain imaging techniques can confirm the diagnosis (most times anyway - but imaging technology is improving, & earlier is always better). In any event, at the 'end of the day' all dementias will present themselves 'as dementia' - it WILL show in the scan. Brain mass will be decreased among other visual data - & sadly, so too will memories of a life once lived. BUT It's there in the imaging!

Many of the threads you get to read here - including homework sent from Cadet will outline the experiences and outcomes of the DB posters. Within the many experiences of forum members, there are also 'template' behaviours (on both sides btw - mlc & lbs of that matter). This is indicative of certain causes, and consequently certain effects, so the behavioural patterns are what the vets go by.

The MLC- ers seem to return to less raging behaviour (tunnel analogy) with TIME.
They change over TIME
Some even re-marry in TIME !
They do not necessarily lose memory with TIME (as in dementia cases).

Some memory loss is expected with age (early onset are exceptions) ... MCI/Mild Cognitive Impairment can be expected in some cases. And why not? The brain has been working from birth & like all things it begins to get tired.

Eventually though, the 'defining red flag' re dementia is often context. We forget, but when we do not recognize that a coffee mug is a coffee mug, or you don't poor the coffee into a planter to drink it, something's up. Forgetful ppl. (including mlc-ers) still understand the world, still understand context.

Having said that, there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule. This is a whole other area & too much to get into (dementia does not start with context issues, and context is not 'guarantee signal'. Also, plaques & tangles, the typical hallmarks re alzheimer's, showed up in a patient who did not behave like an alzheimers patient! The patient did have fair amt. of brain mass, so it seems that was a factor. Research is ongoing. And of course, early detection & follow up is key to rule out that possibility. ) Again, this is for another conversation!

There is memory loss that is associated with MLC at times, but imho this is definitely NOT dementia as we know it (I am simply alluding to what I was exposed to while working in the field of dementia years ago.

If a brain is raging - there are a flood of chemicals associated with that raging as you know. The individual's behaviour is running on emotional fuel - & the fuel is rage. Memory isn't stable b/c (typical) memories are not really being made in this state anyway. It is HAVOC. 'Whatever' happens happens! 'Info'. haphazardly pops in at any moment while something else get shoved out, bumped into, fuses ...whatever, whatever whatever! Some of the whatever may /may not 'remain - but one thing is 'clear,' havoc rules.

In TIME, the rage once observed in the beginning of the mlc, decreases. The mlc-er still knows daughter, son & will for years unless diagnosis reveals a dementia.

I will try (!!) to locate the name of the doctor who connects behaviour with physical imbalances soon!! Its been a while & I remember noting it at the time. The question is where (!!) did I put it

The case you make is valid - there is no doubt that these imbalances & various dementias can impact in a way to mislead us. However, I mentioned commonalities re behaviour here at the forum - and that is no coincidence. When you get through the threads you will see what i mean - its uncanny! Some of what I read &/or felt was similar re the other posters.

Great question/subject. Sorry about rambling on like this .
Have a great day, p.