Alzheimer’s is a serious health problem among elderly people as they find it difficult to manage their day-to-day activities. Even though treatment is available for this condition, it just helps to manage the condition to some extent and the condition keeps worsening with age.
Cognitive Impairment In Veterans Treated With rTMS
However, recent studies have shown that using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation also known as rTMS can help improve cognitive ability in Alzheimer’s patients.
The FDA has already approved using rTMS for patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression and other related conditions. The study focused on veterans who also had multiple co-morbidities. The study group received about 20 rTMS sessions in about a month.
Finally, after four months, the cognitive abilities of such participants were evaluated. It was observed that cognitive ability improved in several patients. However, the sample size for the study was very less and further studies involving a large population are needed to get accurate results.
The problem that happens in such studies is that it is very difficult to get participants for the research. Most veterans suffering from Alzheimer’s are not in a position to give active consent for such studies. In this situation, it depends on the relatives or caretakers to manage the formalities required for conducting such studies. Apart from that, it is not an easy task to evaluate the effectiveness of new methods of treatment as the patients often suffer from other co-morbid conditions that can affect their physical and mental health.
Doctors often suggest veterans keep a track of their mental health more than anything else as old age can bring a host of problems that hamper memory, speech, and motor-related activities. As the brain receives less nutrition and blood flow in old age, such abilities normally decline even in healthy individuals.
However, the problem becomes complicated in Alzheimer’s patients. Similarly, people suffering from other mental ailments need to be careful about taking timely medication. In most cases, medication may not be able to reverse the condition completely. But, using the regular medication can keep the condition from getting worse.
Yet another problem suffered by veterans is depression as old age reduces social activities. Apart from that, many veterans lead a single life when they lose their partners. Due to such conditions, their mental health takes a toll and they socialize very little.
This can affect the overall mental health in the long run. The last two years have been very tough for such patients due to various restrictions on moving outside. The pandemic has caused a lot of trouble for patients suffering from mental ailments as they are not able to move out and socialize with friends and family members in a normal way. Such problems have even affected youngsters during the pandemic.
In this situation, such patients need to keep in touch with the doctors regularly so that they can get timely help during an emergency situation. If anyone in your family is suffering from a similar health condition, you should learn to deal with them in a gentle manner. Most patients who suffer from Alzheimer’s problems have problems with remembering everyday things and caretakers have to keep track of their movement.
Apart from that, it is important to keep the patients happy as this can help to avoid depression and other problems. When the person is happy, the brain degeneration slows down to some extent. Considering all these aspects, it is important for veterans to socialize as much as possible in a safe manner. They can form a group and keep in touch with people online or through regular meetings. In this manner, the mental health condition can be maintained and problems like depression can be avoided.
