Memory Loss & Vascular Dementia
Many people fear losing their memory. Others are taking ineffective drugs or supplements. There are multiple treatable causes of memory loss. Vascular dementia, also known as impaired brain circulation, is a common treatable cause of poor memory.
Other common causes include heart and circulation diseases, glucose/insulin imbalances, nutritional deficiencies (especially B 12), toxic chemicals and heavy metals and neurotransmitter imbalances (especially dopamine and acetylcholine). Most practitioners do not test for or manage these conditions. We do extensive testing for all this. Time after time, we see memory improve when the causes are treated.
.
To find brain circulation damage, we do advanced neck artery scans, brain scans and heart/circulation tests. Brain scans can tell if you have chronic mini strokes, transient ischemic attacks and damaged brain circulation, but only if the radiologist and clinician reads the report correctly.
An elderly woman was referred for memory problems. Her brain MRI was “normal”. She has chronic cardiac problems, so it’s reasonable to suspect brain circulation problems. Sure enough, when I reviewed her brain scan it showed treatable vascular (circulation) damage, indicating chronic mini strokes, also known as transient ischemic attacks (episodes of reduced brain circulation that damage memory and the brain silently over time). Her MRI also showed a prior minor stroke. We also found she has treatable high insulin and high glucose, which damages circulation and the brain. Her prognosis to preserve or improve her memory and help prevent a major stroke and diabetes is excellent.
A 51 year old male has a history of arsenic, copper and mercury accumulation, cardiac irregularities, circulation impairments, fainting spells and pre-diabetes, all controlled with diet changes and supplements. Recently, he noticed forgetfulness and balance problems with exercise. With his strong family history of strokes and circulation diseases, it’s likely he has impaired brain circulation. Routine neck ultrasound last year was normal, but is often inaccurate. Specialized IMT neck ultrasound revealed treatable blood vessel damage, with prematurely aged arteries, but no plaque. The standard treatment of cholesterol drugs would not work. Exercise and various other treatments have been prescribed to improve brain circulation and improve balance and prevent a stroke.
A 16 year old girl was referred for liver problems but we found she also suffered from palpitations, anxiety, depression and poor memory. We ordered an electrocardiogram, which up revealed significant abnormalities, alerting me to circulation problems. Her specialized neck scan showed blood vessels prematurely aged equivalent to a 38 year old! If she chooses aggressive lifestyle changes and medical management, her odds of improvement are good. If she chooses a typical American lifestyle and diet, her risks are very high for progressive brain, memory and heart problems.
If you have poor memory or a family history of dementia or Alzheimer’s, get evaluated thoroughly. Work with a practitioner experienced in helping you make lifestyle changes, prescription drug and supplement adjustments to improve brain function, circulation and metabolism.
David Overton, PA-C works at Natural Medicines and Family Practice, providing integrated conventional and alternative care under the supervision of Dr. Richard Faiola, MD. 360-357-8054.