Senile psychosis: the path from intellectual decline to delirium and dementia

Senile psychosis is a group of diseases, of a mental nature, developing, as a rule, in people aged around 60 years.

These disorders are characterized by a loss in varying degrees of intellectual abilities, skills acquired over the course of life, a decrease in mental activity.

Symptomatic of this group of diseases has a psychotic type, which is important, the intellect can persist in a person completely. Very often the disease occurs in the form of depression or delusional disorder.

Less often the problem can be manifested by anxiety, speech disorders, confusion. Thus, there is a partial obscuration of consciousness as a result of disorders in the activity of the central nervous system( CNS).

In medical practice, there are two types of development of senile psychosis:

• acute senile syndrome, characterized by confusion, disadaptation in society and loss of personality;
• chronic senile psychosis, which manifests itself in the form of depression, hallucinations, the condition can be paraphrenic, hallucinatory-paranoid.

Types of dementia

Causes of

The etiology and pathogenesis of senile psychosis has not been sufficiently well studied. According to statistics, this problem is more affected by women than men. The risk of the disease is increased in the event that the family has already had precedents of senile psychosis, that is, the hereditary factor plays a big role.

The main causes of the development of the disease are:

• gradual age-related death of groups of cells;
• degenerative processes in the brain;
• to influence the development of the disease can various infectious diseases;
• somatic pathology;
• craniocereberal trauma;
• psycho-traumatic circumstances.

Also on the pathogenesis may affect:

• inactivity;
• sleep disturbances;
• eating disorder( improperly selected diet);
• problems with hearing and vision.

Clinical picture of

In case senile psychosis occurs as a depression, this state is characterized by delusional ideas, increased anxiety, general mood suppression, suicidal tendencies, "self-destruction".

Psychoses are characterized by disorders accompanied by jealousy, persecution and a predilection for harm. So, the main "victims" of the suffering old man can become relatives and friends, neighbors, neighbors, as they can be accused of thefts, causing damage to their property, etc.

Acute psychosis in the acute form occurs quite often, its symptoms are manifested mainly in people undergoing treatment with somatic and mental disorders. It is in the process of complications of these diseases that there is an impetus to the development of psychoses.

The symptomatology of acute psychosis is:

• obscuring consciousness;
• motor excitement;
• fussiness;
• lack of coordinated action;
• delusional disorder;
• hallucinations( verbal, visual, tactile);
• unreasonable fears;
• anxiety.

This type of course of the disease can be observed for several weeks, and can proceed continuously as repeated relapses.

The development of acute psychosis can be determined by the presence of certain symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• sleep disturbance;
• disorientation in space, which is episodic;
• severe fatigue;
• helplessness;
• self-service problems.

Further dimness of consciousness is accompanied by amnesia. The clinical picture is fragmentary. In patients, there may be motor activity, as well as various forms of clouding of consciousness( amenia, delirium, stunning), which occur both singly and in aggregate.

Chronic senile psychosis is observed mainly in elderly women. In light forms can be observed:

• lethargy;
• feeling of uselessness;
• adynamy;
• is a negative attitude.

Against the background of the course of the disease, an unreasonable feeling of guilt, hypochondria, anxiety can manifest. This disease occurs with a mild manifestation of a mental disorder, which over time suppresses the body's functions.

Such sluggish depression in some cases can lead to suicide. Psychosis can develop over a period of 10 years, with only minor memory problems present.

Diagnostic criteria

In the early stages of determining the presence of the disease is almost impossible, because it has a mass of symptoms similar to other pathologies: the cardiovascular system, tumors and other problems.

The reason for the diagnosis is a progressive impoverishment of the psyche, leading in a few years to irreversible dementia.

Thanks to the study of computed tomography, hydrocephalus or diffuse brain atrophy is also identified.

A trip to the doctor is mandatory if the patient has a number of factors: disorders for more than six months, leading to violations of social, professional, daily activities. In this case, the person has a perfectly clear consciousness, there are no mental disorders that could lead to a decrease in intelligence.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis helps distinguish senile syndrome from similar diseases, for example, schizophrenia.

Dementia is often supplemented by depressive disorders( pseudodementia), so it is difficult to differentiate the disease.

Complex of measures

After the clinical picture has been studied and an accurate diagnosis is made, it is possible to start treating the patient. With the permission of the patient's relatives, he is placed in a medical facility.

The main goal of the treatment is the suspension of the development of the disease, symptomatic treatment and alleviation of these characteristic symptoms.

In the case of depressive conditions, a specialist can prescribe psychotropic drugs, such as Melipramine, Pyrazidol, Azafen. In some cases, drugs can be combined in a given dose. For all other types of senile psychosis, the administration of propazine, Sonapax, and haloperidol is prescribed.

In each specific case, the patient is assigned an individually selected drug and additionally medicines that correct the attendant symptoms.

What is characteristic, the treatment is more successful in the acute form of senile psychosis. A protracted disease can only be muffled by medicines, but it is impossible to get rid of it completely.

What should relatives do?

To maintain the mental state of a patient diagnosed with senile psychosis, his relatives and close people around him should understand the situation and understand that this process is inevitable and incurable. This disease is objective and does not depend on the patient at all.

In severe cases of senile psychosis, patients need special care, which will best be organized in a medical facility. If the patient is inactive, there may be bedsores that significantly worsen the health status.

Patients who are characterized by untidiness need special care for them. So, native or medical personnel( depending on the location of the patient) are obliged to wipe it with camphor alcohol, wash regularly, change bed linen and not allow sleep on a wet bed. Regular should be and cleansing enemas.

What to expect?

The most favorable predictions are given to patients with an acute form of the disease, especially if medical care is requested on time, and the consciousness is not in a state of confusion for a short time.

The chronic form does not cause anything good and the prognosis in this case is not comforting: the disease develops from one year to ten years and the later this process starts, the better, because eventually the disease ends with cachexia, problems with making movements and even constructing phrasesand the pronunciation of words.

Experts believe that if at the age of 35 years to begin prevention of senile psychosis, then in the future, a person can avoid such a disease:

• a person must be physically active;
• is an important factor - development of mental abilities;
• attention to body weight;
• blood pressure monitoring;
• cholesterol level control;
• proper nutrition.