If you think you may be experiencing alcohol-related dementia, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional. The symptoms of alcohol-related dementia and age-related dementia are fairly similar. Balance and movement issues, poor coordination, disorientation, confusion, and aberrant eye movements are all symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which often develops suddenly. Heavy drinkers were less likely to have hypertension and stroke — a result that may seem counterintuitive. But Justo and his team suggest this may be because heavy drinkers died 13 years earlier on average than those who never drank.
- For example, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is most closely linked with low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1).
- However, learning and short-term memory impairments may be more difficult to reverse even with abstinence.
- Finally, these socially isolated patients are often hospitalized for another health condition and this presents an ideal opportunity for screening, identification, and intervention.
- The connection between alcoholism and dementia is complex and multi-layered.
About alcohol-related brain injury
” If you or a loved one is struggling with this issue, remember that help is available at West Georgia Wellness Center, a residential drug rehab and mental health rehab in Atlanta, GA. Since people can develop alcohol dementia before they reach old age, it’s important to monitor your loved one for these symptoms if they have a long history of heavy drinking. Many early signs of alcoholic dementia overlap with symptoms of other types of dementia. While behavioral signs are similar, many people with alcohol dementia don’t end Substance abuse up developing symptoms of late-stage dementia, such as loss of language, inability to eat independently, or loss of key motor skills. Diagnosing alcoholic dementia involves a comprehensive assessment that includes medical history, mental status evaluations, and brain imaging studies.
How Is Alcoholic Dementia Diagnosed?
No single test can determine if someone’s drinking has led to brain impairment. Instead, medical providers do several things, including a physical exam to check for symptoms and blood work https://fairwaymanor.sitepact.org/understanding-cannabis-tolerance-strategies-to/ to test for a thiamine deficiency, Dr. Rothenberg says. Because these issues affect daily living, it’s common for people in mid-stage alcohol-related dementia to need some form of supervised care. Symptoms of alcohol brain damage can also lead to family conflicts or emotional outbursts that strain relationships. A big difference between alcohol-related dementia and other types of dementia is that sometimes you can reverse or improve alcoholic dementia—at least in the earlier stages. Only a doctor can figure out if a certain case might be reversed or slowed down.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
- If you are lucky to have gotten an early diagnosis, the damage done to your brain is still reversible.
- A diagnosis will involve a comprehensive assessment to determine the presence and extent of cognitive impairments related to alcohol abuse.
- Comprising experienced therapists, medical experts, and dedicated support staff, this team brings a wealth of knowledge and compassionate insight into the complexities of addiction and recovery.
- Alcohol-related dementia is similar in some ways to Alzheimer’s disease in that it affects memory and cognitive ability.
However, recent studies suggest that even moderate alcohol use can increase the likelihood of dementia. You’ll need regular check-ups with your healthcare provider They’ll monitor your brain for any changes and adjust your treatments as needed. Alcohol-related dementia can affect how long you’ll live (your life expectancy). But it’s hard for experts to estimate a set number or guidelines that apply to everyone.
Memory and decision-making are also severely affected, which means that people living with this condition need help from trusted family or friends to manage home, finances, transportation, and more. People may also have motor difficulties due to impaired coordination and trouble walking, which can lead to safety concerns. Therapy for alcohol-related dementia can include management of AUD, nutritional supplementation to compensate for nutrient deficiencies, is alcohol dementia real and exercises to help improve cognition (thinking abilities) and motor skills.
