Ayurvedic Treatment for Dementia

Ayurvedic Treatment for Dementia reverses the damage manifested in the higher memory center and modifies the diet and lifestyle, preventing the further progression of the disease. Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by a loss of intellectual ability. The symptoms interfere with activities of daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is a common cause of dementia.

• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA
• CAUSES OF DEMENTIA
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DEMENTIA
• DIAGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA
• TREATMENTS FOR DEMENTIA
• PROGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA
• COMPLICATIONS OF DEMENTIA
• DEMENTIA AND AYURVEDA
• NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF DEMENTIA
• PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA
• SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF DEMENTIA
• LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA
• AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA
• CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA
• AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA
• AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA
• AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA
• COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR DEMENTIA
• HOME REMEDIES FOR DEMENTIA
• DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR DEMENTIA
• YOGA FOR DEMENTIA
• RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF DEMENTIA

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA

• Memory loss
• Difficultyin communicating
• Confusion
• Anxiété
• Dépression
• Impaired judgment
• Behavioural changes
• Difficulty with planning and organizing

 CAUSES OF DEMENTIA

• Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause of dementia
• Vascular dementia.
• Lewy body dementia
• Degeneration of nerve cells and their connections in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain
• Blessures traumatiques
• Parkinson’s disease

Panchagavya Ghritam – Ayurvedic herbal ghee to support dementia.

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DEMENTIA

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Degeneration of somatostatin-containing neurons appears to be an early and even critical event in the development of Alzheimer’s dementia.

DIAGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA

• Prise d'antécédents
• Examen physique
• Laboratory tests

TREATMENTS FOR DEMENTIA

• Rehabilitation
• Cognition enhancing medications

PROGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA

• Complete cure is not possible. But the symptoms are manageable with appropriate therapies.
• Some causes are reversible.

COMPLICATIONS OF DEMENTIA

• Reduced lifespan
• Inability to perform self-care tasks

DEMENTIA AND AYURVEDA

• In Ayurveda dementia refers to smritibudhihrasa.
• In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, Rasayanaet Panchkarma therapy are very useful in the management of dementia. The Rasayana therapy has the property to check the presenile and senile Dhatu Vaigunya et Kshaya (degeneration).

 NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF DEMENTIA

• Dhatu kshaya (degeneration)
• Ageing

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA

• Impairment of memory (predominantly recent memory in early stages)

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF DEMENTIA

To understand the pathogenesis of dementia in the light of Ayurvedic literature it is necessary to review the general physiology of Manas et Buddhi. Before discussing the aetiology and psychopathology of Smritibuddhihrass, it is worth considering the relation of Mana, Buddhi, Medha, Dhriti et Smriti with each other. In the case of dementia, there is a defect in coordination between mana, budhi…etc.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA

• Smriti bhramsa – loss of memory
• Budhi bhramsa – loss of intellectual ability

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF DEMENTIA

• Krichra sadhya- difficult to manage.

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA

Ayurvedic local treatment for DEMENTIA

• Shiro vasthi
• Shiro pichu
• Vasti
• Pizhichil

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA

• Brahmi ghrita
• Saraswataghrita
• Mahapanchagavyaghrita
• Kalyanakaghrita
• Dasamolaghrita
• Aswagandharista
• Saraswartarishta
• Brahmi vati
• Medhyavati
• Smritisagararasa
• Vrihatvatchintamanirasa
• Brahmidrakshadi Kashayam
• Kalyanakam Kashayam
• Varavishaladi Kashayam
• Drakshadi Kashayam
• Manasamitra Vatakam
• Dadimashtaka Churna

AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA

• Nasya
• Mridu virechana
• Vasti

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR DEMENTIA

Administration interne

• Brahmi ghrita
• Saraswataghrita
• Mahapanchagavyaghrita
• Kalyanakaghrita
• Dasamolaghrita
• Aswagandharista
• Saraswartarishta
• Brahmi vati
• Medhyavati
• Smritisagararasa
• Vrihatvatchintamanirasa
• Brahmidrakshadi Kashayam
• Kalyanakam Kashayam
• Varavishaladi Kashayam
• Drakshadi Kashayam
• Manasamitra Vatakam
• Dadimashtaka Churna

 HOME REMEDIES FOR DEMENTIA

• Enhance communications with family members
• Practice regular exercise
• Schedule the daily activities
• Take pure Ghee (Clarified butter) one teaspoon in the early morning.

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR DEMENTIA

• Avoid food items which produce dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
• Consume easily digestible nutritious food items, cow’s milk, and ghee.
• Oil massage on the head is advised.
• Take proper rest.

 YOGA FOR DEMENTIA

• Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – Calms the mind

 Le patient doit être assis dans une position méditative, la tête et la colonne vertébrale droites, le corps détendu. Le patient doit fermer une narine (par exemple la narine gauche s'il utilise la main droite et vice versa) avec le pouce et expirer complètement par l'autre narine. Il devra à nouveau inspirer profondément par l'autre narine tout en continuant à fermer la narine opposée avec le pouce.

• Shavasana – relaxes the body and mind
• Bhastrika pranayama

 RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF DEMENTIA

1.     A critical appraisal of dementia with special reference to Smritibuddhihrass

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3902586/

2.     Comparative clinical evaluation of an ayurvedic regimen in the management of senile dementia

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269846843_Comparative_clinical_evaluation_of_an_ayurvedic_regimen_in_the_management_of_senile_dementia