What is insanity? Senile insanity - symptoms and treatment

Old age is different: some old people are cheerful and productive until their last breath, others change beyond recognition. Marasmus is a common pathology in the modern world, bringing a lot of suffering to a dying person and, most of all, to his close people.

What is insanity?

Insanity is a pathological process of complete degradation of psychophysical processes, the extinction of cognitive functions. Accompanied by brain atrophy, irreversible changes in human tissues and organs. Among doctors, the disease has a household name "dryness", reflecting the ongoing process of exhaustion and withering. The disorder begins gradually, the risk group is people over the age of 60 years. Marasmus is of several types:

• presenile (premature, presenile);
• senile (senile);
• alimentary (in children and adults, due to insufficient intake of protein in the body)

What is senile insanity?

Senile insanity is the final and irreversible stage of senile dementia or senile dementia. The diagnosis is made only after 60 years, the frequency of the disease is high from 10 to 35% for all cases of mental disorders. The irreversibility of mental functions in dementia complicates the course of the disease and complicates treatment. Features of female insanity:

• occurs 2 times more often than in men;
• symptoms are more pronounced;
• delusional disorders.

Male insanity:

• less exposure due to shorter life expectancy compared to the female half;
• violations progress slowly;
• hypersexuality and hyperexcitability.

Causes of senile insanity

Insanity among the elderly is more pronounced when there have been demographic pits in different countries for several years. The predominance of the elderly part of the population clearly demonstrates the fact that dementia is a common phenomenon that requires the development of social and health programs that would help people, when the first alarm bells appear, begin to take measures to reduce destructive processes.

Causes of senile insanity:

1. Marasmus and - a close relationship between the neurogenerative disease identified by A. Alzheimer and the occurrence of marasmus was confirmed back in 1910.
2. genetic predisposition.
3. Somatic diseases (pathologies of the cardiovascular system: atherosclerosis, hypertension).
4. Oncology.
5. Prion proteins are foreign proteins of animal origin that come with food that can penetrate into the human nervous system and destroy it and the immune system.
6. The use of psychotropic drugs.
7. Pick's disease.

Senile insanity - symptoms and treatment

Senile insanity is a severe multi-organ pathology, which is the final. For several years, the body has been subjected to destructive pathological changes, and insanity is a deeply serious condition with pronounced symptoms. Treatment of advanced dementia does not bring results and is aimed at alleviating the patient's condition, so it is important to see a doctor at the first signs of the disease.

Senile insanity - symptoms

Who are the senile in society know the majority, due to the high frequency of the disorder. The disease manifests itself in all its "glory" after 60 years. Early manifestation worsens the prognosis and all symptoms develop at lightning speed, late occurrence suggests slowly progressive changes extended over time. Signs of insanity:

• aggravation of negative character traits (the greedy becomes a miserly miser, slovenliness turns into a complete lack of self-care);
• increased egocentrism - the need to control everything and everyone increases;
• women have delusional disorders (complain that they want to poison or rob their relatives);
• indifference and callousness to others;
• there is a desire to walk through the garbage heaps and store the rubbish brought at home;
• uncontrolled appetite;
• memory disorders (dates, events, recognition - are erased from memory);
• disorientation in space;
• cachexia is severe wasting.

How to treat senile insanity?

A senile person is a person who needs maximum care, care and treatment. An important condition is the provision of the regime:

• comfortable, well-known and familiar environment for the patient (it is not recommended to transport a person to unfamiliar, albeit better, living conditions);
• encouragement of physical activity (participation in cleaning, cooking, simple household chores);
• daytime sleep;
• joint walks with the patient in the park;
• intake of food rich in proteins, microelements and vitamins (fish, vegetables, herbs, fruits).

Drug therapy is mainly symptomatic and is aimed at treating the underlying disease:

1. Neuroprotectors - nootropil, mexidol, cinnarezin.
2. Calcium antagonists - verapamil, cerebrolysin, dilgart.
3. Antidepressants - azafen, tryptophan, preparations based on St. John's wort.
4. Antipsychotics - clozapine, haloperidol, dicarbine.

Senile insanity (senile dementia) is an age-related disease that is characterized by a deterioration in cognitive abilities, a decline in psycho-emotional activity and general exhaustion of the body. This disease is more susceptible to people who have suffered or have cardiovascular diseases, however, there are no exact reasons for the development of this disease. It should be noted that in most cases this is an irreversible pathological process, which is most often diagnosed in people over 65 years of age. There is also premature insanity, which may be due to certain pathological processes or injuries to the head, central nervous system. Treatment of senile insanity should be prescribed only by a doctor, the issue of hospitalization is decided individually.

Etiology

The exact cause of the onset of senile dementia has not been identified, however, clinicians identify predisposing primary and secondary factors for development. The first group includes the following:

• Pick's disease;

Also, genetic predisposition is no exception. Secondary etiological processes include the following:

• previous autoimmune diseases;
• cardiovascular pathologies, including those of a congenital nature;
• oncological processes in the brain;
• damage to the central nervous system;
• severe, including alcohol poisoning;
• infectious diseases;
• head injury;
• frequent stressful situations, constant nervous strain.

It should be noted that senile dementia can provoke several reasons at once. It must be understood that none of the above provoking factors should be regarded as a 100% predisposition to the development of senile insanity. In this case, much depends on the characteristics of the organism and the anamnesis of a person's life.

Classification

As the pathological process develops, there are three stages in the development of senile insanity:

• the first or initial - intellectual abilities are deteriorating, but the person retains basic skills, there are no problems with long-term memory;
• the second - intellectual abilities disappear, depressive state grows, there may be problems with memory. Hygiene skills are preserved;
• the third - complete insanity, the patient cannot take care of himself, there are problems with long-term memory.

In most cases, at the third stage of the development of senile insanity, there are observed, that is, exhaustion of the body. In this case, any third-party disease can be fatal, as the immune system is very weakened, and metabolic processes in the body are disturbed.

Symptoms

The initial signs of senile insanity, as a rule, are not pronounced and can manifest themselves in the form of a slight deterioration in memory, absent-mindedness, which can be attributed to natural physiological changes due to age. As the pathological process worsens, the following symptoms of senile insanity may be observed:

• memory disorders - in the initial stage, the patient may forget events that have occurred recently. As the disease worsens, problems with long-term memory begin;
• changes in behavior and psychotype of personality - the patient has character traits that were not characteristic of him before;
• violation of logical thinking;
• problems with orientation in space and time;
• violation of speech function;
• , increased anxiety, tearfulness, for no apparent reason;
• visual and auditory hallucinations.

In the presence of such symptoms, you need to seek help from a doctor, in this case, a psychoneurologist.

Ignoring this symptom or improper treatment can lead to complications and even death. Therefore, complex therapy is required. In most cases, treatment is palliative, since this pathological process is irreversible.

Diagnostics

In the presence of the above clinical picture, you should contact a neuropsychiatrist. As a rule, additional consultation with a psychiatrist is required.

The diagnostic program may include the following:

• psychological tests;
• electroencephalography;
• Ultrasound of the vessels of the brain;
• CT and MRI of the brain.

It should be noted that in most cases this disease is diagnosed already in the second or third stage of development.

Treatment

In this case, we are talking only about maintenance therapy, since it is impossible to completely cure this disease. All medical measures are aimed at inhibiting the development of the death of brain neurons and improving the quality of life of the patient. If the state of health allows, then treatment can take place at home. However, you need to understand that such patients need almost constant care and supervision.

Drug therapy may include taking such drugs:

• nootropic (at the initial stages of the development of the disease);
• antidepressants;
• small doses of tranquilizers;
• sleeping pills.
• sedatives.

The dosage and regimen of taking such medications can only be prescribed by the attending physician. Unauthorized use of such drugs is strictly prohibited.

In addition to taking certain medications, you should also follow general recommendations:

• all dangerous objects should be removed from the patient's access;
• as far as possible, the patient should be involved in physical exercises, communication with relatives, close people;
• Every day, especially before going to bed, you should take a walk in the fresh air.

You should also pay attention to the nutrition of the patient. The ratio in this case means the following:

• heavy foods should be excluded from the diet - fatty, fried, too seasoned;
• nutrition should be balanced;
• food intake should be frequent (at least 4 times a day), but in small portions and with an interval between meals of 3 hours;
• if the patient has signs of cachexia, then the consistency of the food should be liquid or puree.

What is senile insanity and how to properly treat it, only a neuropsychiatrist or psychiatrist can say. It should also be understood that it is important not only to comply with all the recommendations of the doctor, but also the psycho-emotional situation of the patient.

Depending on the stage of development of the disease, the attending physician may prescribe a course of psychotherapy, which will help the patient to restore or form certain behavioral reactions. However, at the third stage of the development of the disease, this is no longer appropriate.

Prevention

As such, the prevention of senile insanity does not exist, since the exact etiological factors of this disorder have not been established. You can reduce the risk of developing this disease if you put into practice the following:

• exclusion of stress, psycho-emotional overstrain;
• prevention of cardiovascular pathologies;
• proper, nutritious nutrition;
• sufficient amount of rest, moderate physical and mental stress;
• timely and correct treatment of all diseases;
• exclusion of excessive alcohol consumption.

In addition, you need to systematically undergo preventive medical examinations and seek medical help if you feel unwell, and not conduct therapy at your own discretion.

When a person in advanced or senile age completely loses his character, the ability to think clearly and respond adequately, then many relatives begin to see him as a senile or feeble-minded person. Few will answer the question of what senile insanity really is. In the people it is customary to consider insanity a common manifestation of old age. Meanwhile, it is a disease that can be prevented and treated.

Description of the disease

Insanity does not occur in a vacuum. It is preceded by gradual changes in the functioning of the brain, lasting throughout the adult life of a person. Atrophy of some functions of the brain, the disintegration of its cells lead to various types of prussial dementia, that is, acquired dementia. Without treatment, dementia progresses rapidly and passes into the final stage - senile insanity.

No need to focus on the word "senile", believing that insanity is inherent only in old people. This word characterizes not the old age of a person, but the old age of the brain. You can turn into a senile at any age, depending on how hard you try to become one.

Marasmus is a mental illness caused by physiological and functional changes in the brain. The disease is diagnosed by psychiatrists, which people are so afraid of, but in vain. Timely contact with this doctor can save a life. If the disease is not treated, then the risk of sudden death is likely. The causes of insanity are extensive and understanding them can help a lot.

Insanity creeps up imperceptibly, nothing signals about it, no one notices weak “bells”, or simply does not attach any importance to them. Therefore, it is important to learn everything about the disease, to be vigilant and prevent its occurrence. Timely treatment and prevention can prolong years of life in perfect mental health.

Causes

• Vascular diseases. This is the main reason for the death of neurons in the brain, which leads to the gradual onset of dementia, and then insanity. People who are diagnosed with hypertension, atherosclerosis are at risk. Pressure over 140/90 contributes to vasoconstriction to the extent that cerebral circulation is disturbed. If this pressure has become the norm, then there is an increased risk of the gradual development of dementia. Obesity is also included in the same cause of high blood pressure.
• Various hernia with osteochondrosis can block the normal flow of blood to the basal artery that feeds the brain. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can cause compression of the arteries that feed the brain.
• Various infectious diseases, tumors and injuries that damage the brain, lead to the death of neurons and can trigger the development of insanity.
• Severe intoxication of the body. Even severely endured, the herpes disease can lead to intoxication of the body to the extent that it harms the brain. Various medications, such as beta-blockers, tranquilizers, antiallergic drugs, calcium blockers, and antidepressants, are also toxic. They must be used with caution and should not be carried away.
• Lack of oxygen. If a person sits indoors all day long and walks a little in the fresh air, then gradually his brain begins to suffer from a lack of oxygen. Prolonged oxygen starvation of the brain inevitably leads to hypoxia. As a result, the death of its cells occurs, and functions are impaired.
• Stress. During times of stress, the body produces large doses of the hormone cortisol. This hormone leads to damage to the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning. Stress is any change in the emotional background. It can be an attack of joy, and sadness, and vanity. Stress disrupts the homeostasis of the whole organism, bringing it into a "combat readiness" mode.
• Alcohol. During the intake of alcohol in the brain, a huge number of cells die. The state of intoxication, for which many drink alcohol, is a signal to the brain that its cells are dying. Regular alcohol consumption leads to regular loss of brain cells. Memory is disturbed, working capacity decreases, thought processes are inhibited. The conclusion suggests itself.

Quitting alcohol completely does not improve the situation. A person needs to relax and relieve stress. Alcohol helps with this, scientists have proven. Light wines in small doses, consumed from time to time, dilate blood vessels, relieve stress and reduce the risk of brain damage. There are safe doses. For 70 kg of weight, 150 ml of wine is considered a safe dose. At the same time, it is important that the wine was of high quality.

Symptoms of insanity

As with dementia, the signs of marasmus are largely similar. Human behavior is changing. Close people, and the person himself, refer to the usual change in character. But these changes are not for the better. The character of a person is increasingly acquiring a negative connotation, preventing him from interacting with people and navigating in the modern world.

As insanity approaches, the symptoms become more pronounced. A person becomes sloppy in clothes, he does not care how he looks and what people around him think of him.

Memory is impaired in the same way as in dementia. He remembers what happened a long time ago, and has difficulty remembering what happened two days ago. He periodically forgets to turn off the gas, then halfway through he remembers the iron that was not turned off.

Hobbies are not interesting to him, he feels apathy for everything in his life. A person forgets what shame, tact and decency are. But he always remembers who and how to teach the mind. He does this obsessively and tactlessly, ignoring that no one needs it and his moralizing has long been outdated.

Many people have Plushkin syndrome (Wikipedia). A person drags into the house everything that seems important and necessary to him. The house turns into a warehouse of unnecessary things that "will come in handy."

All the symptoms of acquired dementia in senile insanity only intensify.

stages

There are 3 stages of insanity development: initial, middle and last.

1. At first, all the signs are invisible, especially to the patients themselves. Sometimes only he himself can notice how his intellectual abilities are declining. This stage can occur in people under 40 years of age. Therefore, it is so important to pay close attention to it. This stage is reversible.
2. Then, in the second stage, he develops forgetfulness in everyday life (the same iron, stove, microwave). Depression, apathy, asociality appear. At this stage, the disease can still be cured, or its development can be slowed down.
3. The last stage is the most terrible, difficult and irreversible. A person cannot serve himself, loses his personality, memory ... "loses his head."

Treatment of senile insanity

Many people think that insanity is not treated. This is not true. Only the last stage is not treated. Therefore, it is important to understand in time what to do with insanity. Find out the cause and get rid of it. A common cause is, as already mentioned, hypertension and vascular disease. So, these diseases must be treated. Then the insanity will begin to pass. If the cause is alcoholism, treat it. To find out about the causes of insanity, you need to go through a series of tests: doctor's consultations, check blood vessels, do an MRI of the brain (magnetic resonance imaging), ultrasound of the heart, and be tested for toxins.

If insanity is diagnosed and is in a severe stage, then the treatment will be only symptomatic. The therapy program is written out only by the doctor. Self-medication can only accelerate the development of insanity.

If only the initial signs of changes in the functioning of the brain are observed, then treatment implies the normalization of brain functions and stopping the death of neurons:

• taking vitamins B12 and group B, the lack of which has a devastating effect on the brain;
• take folic acid;
• taking high doses of antioxidants;
• the use of Gingo Biloba extract;
• daily gymnastics;
• memory training.

Prevention

At birth, a person is endowed with the ability to think sensibly. Over time, gradually accumulates a huge mass of various information and memories. The only thing that is not thought out by nature is the aging of the individual. This stage is marked by various diseases and, as a result of many of them, senile insanity. It is impossible to prevent it. It is recommended to know the approaching age-related problem in order to pay maximum attention to a loved one.

Marasmus is a destructive process in the cerebral cortex. It provokes irreversible consequences, leading to a complete loss of the skills inherent in the individual.

The disease is caused by a previous type of illness called senile dementia. The consequences arising from the progression of deterioration in the state of brain activity lead to the complete destruction of the brain nucleus.

For relatives suffering from a disease, the condition of an elderly person is a difficult test and a great burden. Such old people cannot:

• Respect loved ones
• Share acquired wisdom
• To give advice
• Understand that their grandson or great-grandson is standing in front of them
• They miss all possible events in their lives or their loved ones

These people need more care and attention. Every day and a certain action is associated with great difficulties for such. To help cope with the approaching ailment, knowledge should be guided. The latter make it possible to distinguish the natural involution of the organism's aging from the pathological changes occurring in the brain.

With involution, deterioration in a person’s condition is revealed to be insignificant, not having a big impact on general well-being. While in senile insanity, the changes are spontaneous, completely turning the mind of an elderly person.

• Up to 45 years old - mature years
• After 45 - presenile period, presenile
• After 60 years - senile

It is 60 years that are the starting point for the degradation of the individual. Before this age threshold, the cause of the deterioration in brain activity that has occurred should be sought elsewhere (trauma, specific).

Video about what is senile insanity, symptoms and manifestations of the disease.

Types of disease and stage

There are several types of insanity:

1. Alimentary (infant) - its appearance is due to a deficiency of protein-energy needs, the absence of minerals in the body and those necessary for the normal development of the newborn. Usually affects infants under 12 months of age.
2. Senile
3. Physical insanity - can manifest itself not only in old age, but also in young years. It is extremely rare. It manifests itself in the form of a person's withering, depression and loss of activity. A person needs constant supervision and care. is not subject to

Thus, one must treat the senile with understanding. If even minor symptoms are found that indicate the onset of the disease, an elderly person should be urgently referred to. When detected in the early stages, therapy has more options than in the later stages of progression.

Senile insanity, or personality degradation, is a chronic, progressive disease and is one of the most severe, irreversible mental disorders. This is the result of age-related mental changes in the personality, due to the atrophy of all processes occurring in the brain. As a result, a person loses the opportunity to contact the outside world.

Various diseases, mental disorders, pathological changes in the vessels of the brain can lead to this severe mental disorder. Very often the situation is aggravated by heredity. The disease does not occur immediately, it develops gradually, over the years, and others do not immediately notice oddities in the behavior of an elderly person. But with the development of the disease, the symptoms become quite bright and it is already impossible not to notice it.

We will talk about all this today:

Symptoms of senile insanity

At the initial stages, the disease is hardly noticeable. Well, maybe the older person has become more absent-minded, forgetful. He has features of pronounced egocentrism, he becomes grouchy, more often than before he gets angry, becomes stingy. But this, as we believe, is a normal manifestation of old age.

But with the development of the disease, the characteristic symptoms increase and become brighter, more noticeable. Memory deteriorates more and more, false memories of non-existent events appear.

In the later stages, a person loses self-care skills, he has symptoms of a mental disorder, and his behavior becomes inadequate. In the end, he ceases to recognize relatives and friends, cannot perform hygiene procedures, he needs constant monitoring from others.

What and how to treat senile insanity? states

Senile insanity can be corrected in the early stages of development. It is impossible to cure the disease completely. But at its first manifestations, it is quite possible to suspend the further process of the disintegration of the personality. To do this, you need to show the elderly person to the doctor.

The doctor will order a complete medical examination. When chronic diseases that contribute to the development of this pathology are identified, adequate therapy is carried out. To stop the development, directly, of senile insanity, symptomatic is carried out.

Experts strongly recommend treating the patient at home, in a familiar environment. A calm homely atmosphere has a beneficial effect on the psyche, calms a person. While the new, unfamiliar environment of the hospital can provoke an exacerbation of the disease, worsen the patient's condition.

An elderly person should be provided with the necessary care. Encourage him even for a little activity during the day. Don't just lie there alone. Talk to him more, go for a walk together. Or just sit with him on a bench in the yard. If the patient is recommended bed rest, make sure that there are no bedsores. Find an opportunity to at least occasionally take him out into the fresh air.

However, if the patient is so inadequate that it becomes dangerous for himself and others, he is given a referral to a hospital.

A fairly common disease of the elderly, senile insanity symptoms and, which we are considering today, can be suspended if vascular diseases are carried out in time. For example, at the first signs of atherosclerosis, appropriate measures must be taken.

In the early stages of senile insanity, nootropic drugs are prescribed. In chronic insomnia, a person is prescribed small doses of diazepam or nitrazepam. If necessary, if the patient has psychotic disorders, severe fussiness, the doctor can write a prescription for neuroleptic drugs.

It must be remembered that any drugs for this disease are prescribed by the attending physician. It is categorically impossible to prescribe them on your own, since such a technique can cause an unpredictable reaction of the patient.

Folk remedies

In the early stages of the disease, you can use folk remedies. For example, a tincture of elecampane roots gives a good effect. You can buy it at a pharmacy and take 30 drops before meals. After a month of admission, the patient's condition will improve significantly.

Experts recommend taking vitamin preparations containing vitamin B6, as well as folic acid. This will prevent the onset of depression, reduce the risk of developing brain dysfunctions, and stop the development of senile insanity.
It is also helpful to take ginkgo biloba extract or capsules regularly.

Include fresh garlic in your diet. It contains substances that cleanse the vessels of the brain, improve memory, increase mental and intellectual abilities. Be healthy!