Suggest Treatment For Mild Dementia And Depression

Posted on Fri, 5 May 2017

Question: My mother has major depressive disorder and mild dementia. She has many events with a lot of rage and anger especially towards my oldest brother. Could there be a possibility she has something else going on? She has an appointment on april 24 with a new psychiatrist. She was at an acute facility because she was so difficult to handle. she has turned on all family members. She is also seeing a therapist. They say she is having a difficult time with aging. Her hearing is not the best, but if she wore her hearing aids would help. Her eyesight is not good and she gave up driving. thanks

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (41 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
These symptoms are probably complications of dementia

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM.

I can understand your concern. She is suffering from mild dementia and has depressive disorder. She is 81 and a lot of persons develop anger outbursts, suspiciousness or even psychotic symptoms as complication of dementia.

Abilify or Aripiprazole can be tried in her case and will surely help her. The drug will reduce her anger and will improve her depressive symptoms too.

I'd also advise you to get her MRI scan done to rule out any organic cause of her symptoms. But if she is not showing any neurological symptoms then there is no urgent need for that.

So please talk to her psychiatrist and Take proper opinion.

Thanks and Take care.

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

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (2 hours later)

When she took a couple different dementia tests, she scored a 23. Once XXXXXXX of 2015 and March 2017. These were both given at facilities that she stayed out to help figure out what was going on. I associate dementia with forgetting things more so than outrages. So is she a little more advanced than I see. She is very smart and does not forget how she has acted. But now she does not seem to have feelings for anyone including my father. She has now turned on him. We worry about him because he has short term memory issues and is 83. Other than that he is laid back. She just throws tantrums for no apparent reason. Thank you for your help with this.

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Apart from dementia other possibility is depression with psychosis

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

Yes in most individuals with age related dementia forgetfulness, impairment in cognitive functioning etc are seen but some times behavioural problems develop like irritability, suspiciousness or anger outbursts etc.

This is not advanced dementia. Even a lot of individuals develop such symptoms early in course. Depression with psychotic symptoms is other possible diagnosis once dementia is ruled out. She has history of attempting suicide and that is also a risk for developing severe depression with psychosis.

But in both conditions second generation antipsychotics like Aripiprazole or Olanzapine or Risperidone etc will help to treat the symptoms.

Thanks and Take care.

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