State lacks research on dementia: Dr Nelson
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 31 2025: Elderly people aged 65 years or above generally suffer from decline in mental ability or memory loss generally known as dementia with women more affected from the health issue than men, stated psychiatrist Dr Loitongbam Nelson.

When queried about precaution and treatment regime for dementia, assistant professor Dr Loitongbam Nelson of the department of psychiatry, JNIMS, informed The People's Chronicle that the rate of memory loss increases as a person gets older with dementia more profound among women than men.

There will be behavioural change when an elderly person slows down the ability to think and suffer memory loss, he said.

According to Dr Nelson, around 8.9 lakh elderly people in India suffer from dementia but the number of people suffering from the disease in Manipur is yet to be ascertained as of now and thorough research work is required in this regard.

Even though Manipur lacks dementia data, enrolment at clinics and OPDs for treatment from the disease is very high, he said.

Deficiency of Vitamin B 1 and B 12 can cause dementia but this stage could be reversed if given timely treatment.

Young people do not suffer from dementia but they may experience memory loss owing to excessive consumption of drugs, liquor and smoking.

If such young people suffer from depression, there is possibility of suffering from dementia though there are many factors like lifestyles, psychology and social problems in causing dementia.

The present unrest situation and COVID-19 pandemic gave severe impact to elderly people and this is another factor for dementia among them and more particularly among women, Dr Nelson continued.

While informing that medicines for containing dementia are available in market, Dr Nelson appealed families not to conce'al dementia patient but consult doctor if behavioural changes and memory loss among elderly members are noticed.

Comment