PATTAYA, Thailand – Dr. Niyom Pisitpipattana, MD, from the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (BHP) Neuroscience Center, delivered an insightful presentation on the intricacies of brain health, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease to the Pattaya City Expats Club on Wednesday, October 9.
With a personal connection to the subject, Dr. Niyom addressed the audience with empathy and expertise, discussing the impact of aging on the brain and the progressive nature of dementia. He emphasized that dementia is not a normal part of aging, distinguishing it from benign forgetfulness that comes with age.
Dr. Niyom elaborated on various types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia a progressive brain disease that affects thinking, movement, behavior, and mood), highlighting that Alzheimer’s accounts for 60-80% of all dementia cases. Also, strokes can lead to a mixed type of dementia, especially if they affect the frontal and temporal lobes, causing acute dementia by damaging memory areas in the brain.
He noted that common symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory problems, personality changes, and mood changes. Early signs include frequent forgetfulness and difficulty recalling words. In severe cases of Alzheimer’s can involve aggressive behavior, inability to perform daily activities, and disrupted sleep patterns.
He touched upon the importance of early detection and the preventive measures including maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, a balanced diet, social interaction, and managing risk factors like hypertension and diabetes. Also beneficial is lifelong education which includes engaging in hobbies and learning new skills. Further, activities like playing chess or learning new programming languages are beneficial for brain health. All of these can help delay or prevent dementia.
Dr. Niyom said diagnosis often involves recognizing symptoms and conducting tests. Further, medication can slow the progression, but patients may need caretakers to manage their treatment. He mentioned that recent research has focused on targeted therapies to address abnormal proteins in the brain. Early intervention may help preserve brain function, though more studies are needed.
The presentation was not only informative but also interactive, with Dr. Niyom engaging the audience in a Q&A session, addressing their concerns and curiosities about this pressing health issue. For those interested in learning more about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Niyom’s full presentation can be accessed through the Pattaya City Expats Club’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmKzNFq9P5M. A post presentation video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF51H5Q1xck.
After the presentation, everyone was brought up to date on upcoming events. This was followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where the audience can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club.
