“Signs of Dementia: Experts Warn About This Eating Habit”

Research has shown that early symptoms of dementia can be manifested by simple actions such as brushing teeth or climbing stairs. Plus, it appears that your dinner eating habits can reveal whether you have frontotemporal dementia. According to Dementia UK, around one in every 20 dementia patients have this abnormal form.

According to him, it is “an umbrella term for a group of dementias that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for speech, language, behavior, and personality.” Additionally, unlike other types of dementia, memory loss and concentration problems are not always present in the early stages of the disease. Instead, “obsessive or repetitive behavior” is one of the symptoms of behavioral variance frontotemporal dementia (bv FTD) and it

“Silent behavior is often the first sign of dementia, and experts warn that eating habits can be a marker of cognitive decline.” Changes in eating habits, such as forgetting to eat or losing interest in food, is a major behavior that has attracted attention. People with dementia may find it difficult to organize and prepare meals or experience changes in taste and appetite, these behaviors may be signs of underlying cognitive impairment.

Repetitive actions such as hoarding food or eating the same meal over and over again can be symptoms of cognitive impairment. Identifying certain eating patterns as potential indicators of dementia underscores the importance of early detection and intervention. It enables immediate support and management of cognitive health.”

How?

“A wide range of abnormal eating behaviors, including hyperphagia, fixation on one type of food, and even consumption of inanimate objects are associated with FTD,” according to a report on the topic. People suffering from this disease can have only one meal. For example, there was mention in the press of a “banana lady” who lived for months on nothing but bananas and milk. After an autopsy, it was found that she had frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

In addition to eating non-food items, those with the disease may also take food off other people’s plates. According to SISSA researcher Marilena Aiello, who participated in one of the studies, “These behaviors are of course socially problematic, but in terms of the patients’ health, they tend to gain weight.”

Why does this happen? 

We are not sure. “When considering the origins of food intolerances in frontotemporal dementia, many factors are likely at work,” Aiello adds. The autonomic nervous system can be affected, leading to changes in how the body interprets signals related to hunger, fullness, and hunger. According to studies, overeating can be caused by a lack of inhibitory signals caused by damage to the hypothalamus. Furthermore, “sensory and cognitive factors are likely to muddy the image… Allieo adds, “There may be a semantic problem with this. Identifying the object and its purpose among the people using the object, for example.

What are other signs of frontotemporal dementia?

In fact, consuming non-food items and becoming too fixated on food is not unique to FTD. These “can be present, with varying degrees of severity, in healthy individuals with disordered eating habits,” says Allieo herself. For example, pregnant women may desire to consume crops, or inanimate objects such as clay; People with autism may also experience food hyperfixation. But if the behavior is accompanied by additional symptoms of FTD, it may indicate a more serious illness. According to the NHS, they are:

• Attitude and behavior changes include acting impulsively or inappropriately, being arrogant or lacking in empathy, neglecting personal hygiene, overeating, or loss of ambition.
• Language problems include slow speech, difficulty pronouncing words correctly, pronouncing words out of order, or using inappropriate words.
• Mental capacity problems include being easily distracted and difficulty organizing and planning.
• Physical problems including sluggish or stiff movements, loss of bladder or bowel control (usually not until later), muscle weakness, or difficulty swallowing. are examples of physical dementia symptoms.
• Memory problems, on the other hand, tend to occur later, unlike common forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease.

It is important to consult a General Practitioner (GP) as soon as you or a loved one suspects dementia, the sooner the intervention the better.

READ | 10 Signs of Vitamin Deficiencies and How to Treat Them

---