CHENNAI: Forgetfulness is not the same as dementia, but is a natural facet of aging and doesn’t indicate Alzheimer’s or other neurological ailments, said P Satish Chandra, vice-chancellor of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS). Delivering a lecture titled ‘Ageing and Dementia: Can this be prevented?’ to commemorate 50 years of professor Krishnamoorthy Srinivas’ service, Satish Chandra said if at all one had disorders like restricted movement and neurological and physiological dysfunction, it should be monitored with care. Vascular dementia is a common growing threat among the different types of neurological disorders affecting the elderly, which is caused due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain, said Satish Chandra and added that hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and stroke were among the major causes for the high rate of vascular dementia cases.
“At present, we are looking at Positron Emission Tomography (PET) / Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) along with Bioluminescent markers to detect the difference in thought process between an ordinary brain and the one undergoing neurological changes, at the Institute for Comprehensive Neurological Mapping,” said Satish Chandra. Professor Krishnamoorthy Srinivas spoke on the occasion. Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal and professor Wes Wingett of Wayne State College were present among others, including doctors and students.