Depression and Nutritional Deficiencies as the Causes of Reversible Dementia

Depression and Nutritional Deficiencies as the Causes of Reversible Dementia

Depression is not only a symptom of dementia, but it can cause other symptoms typical of dementia, as well. Consequently, depression is often misdiagnosed as dementia, particularly in the elderly. This misdiagnosis is tragic, because the majority of people with depression can be effectively treated. In addition to the depressed mood, loss of interest and social withdrawal we commonly think of as depression, both syndromes can produce sleep disorders, weight loss or weight gain, psychomotor retardation (an abnormal slowing down of activities and mental processes) and a diminished ability to think or concentrate. In many instances, depressed people, particularly older individuals, may appear confused and may suffer memory loss.

People with dementia score differently on neurological tests and mental-status tests than people with depression. And psychological testing or psychiatric examination can offer additional information, if needed. The most common methods used to treat depression are psychotherapy, which employs psychological methods ranging from psychoanalysis to behavioral modification, and pharmacotherapy, which uses antidepressant drugs. Treatment may involve either method or a combination of the two.
Standard psychotherapy is generally effective only in the early stages of progressive, irreversible dementia, when the patient still has certain cognitive abilities intact. But modified psychotherapy, music therapy or art therapy may be helpful in later stages. And while some antidepressants can exacerbate dementia's cognitive symptoms, others can be used to improve depressive symptoms and improve function.

Different vitamins and minerals are responsible for different bodily functions and, when deficient, different symptoms. Generally speaking, the B vitamins (including B12, folic acid, niacin and thiamin), which are responsible for the body's use of energy from foods and for normal tissue production, produce a variety of dementia symptoms when deficient. Vitamin B12, for instance, supports the growth and function of nerves and the spinal cord. Deficiency of this vitamin is linked to a deterioration in mental functioning, to neurological damage and to a number of psychological disturbances. The symptoms that parallel those of dementia include memory loss, disorientation, changes in personality or mood, and hallucinations.

A deficiency of folic acid, which is involved in the synthesis of nucleic acid, the genetic building block for all cells, can produce fatigue and loss of appetite. Niacin deficiency can produce irritability, anxiety, depression and other dementia symptoms; and a deficiency of thiamin, which is necessary for normal brain and nerve function, can result in depression, irritability, concentration difficulties, fatigue, lack of appetite and weight loss. Vitamin E deficiency can produce lethargy, apathy, inability to concentrate and a loss of balance. And deficiencies in the minerals calcium and magnesium have also been known to cause dementia symptoms. Primarily by increasing a person's intake through diet, supplements or injections. Once a deficiency has been identified and corrected, symptoms generally disappear.

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