Suggest Treatment For Poor Memory

Posted on Mon, 18 Aug 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 18 Aug 2014 Answered on

Fri, 5 Sep 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi, My mom is 85 years old and is starting to lose memory, is there anything we can do to slow down the memory loss.

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Suggested psychiatry consultation and CTscan brain

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
As a radiologist working at a top psychiarty institute I have come across more than 500 patients like your mother who have presented with memory related problems.

First you need to consult a psychiatrist to get her evaluated clinically. Her symptoms are not restricted to loss of memory but impaired cognitive functions as well. In such patients it is important to do imaging studies and know what are the primary changes in the brain which have led to symptoms like memory loss. Clinically this is termed dementia. There are many types of dementias like vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer disease and age related dementia. A CT scan brain needs to be done to know what type of dementia is occurring. Treatment to slow the progress of symptoms is given as per cause by the psychiatrist.

Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar