Bandar Lampung (ANTARA) – Families should be more aware of early detection, as it is necessary to prevent severe dementia among the elderly, Neurologist Dr. Ruth Mariva Sp.S stated.

“Managing dementia in the elderly is important. The first step to be taken is to detect early in order to prevent deterioration,” Mariva remarked during a virtual meeting in Bandar Lampung on Saturday.

The neurologist highlighted that early detection is noticeable from the symptoms, such as a decline in brain functioning due to decreasing acetylcholine substances in brain cells. These symptoms may arise due to old age.

Dementia is a decline in the brain’s ability to perform basic functions, such as thinking, remembering, speaking, and making decisions.

“Currently, human life expectancy gets higher, thereby increasing the number of elderly. Some 80 percent of the elderly have comorbidity. One of which is the decrease in acetylcholine in brain cells that has an important function in the central nervous system to process memory,” she explained.

Source: Antara News