Is your brain sending distress signals? Signs of memory loss and mood changes

Author: Unknown Reviewer: Unknown Curator: Unknown Production/Organization: Unknown Title: Is your brain sending distress signals? Signs of memory loss and mood changes Introduction: Brain glioma poses a serious risk to the elderly. Key symptoms include memory and personality changes. Early treatment improves outcomes. Keywords: ['Brain health', 'Cancer'] Main text: Brain glioma is a type of tumor that originates from the brain's supporting cells (glial cells). It grows insidiously like roots within the brain and has an aggressive growth pattern, making it the most common primary brain tumor. Among these, glioblastoma is the most malignant and develops the fastest, particularly requiring vigilance in the elderly population.

This type of tumor is not suitable for all ages, as it has two peak age periods: young and middle-aged individuals between 30 and 40, and seniors over 70. The incidence is slightly higher in men than in women. For elderly patients, the presence of some degree of brain atrophy can cause early symptoms to be very subtle, often leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment, resulting in a lower five-year survival rate. It is a significant life-threatening disease.

In addition to headaches, these atypical signals are even more dangerous! Many people believe that the typical symptoms of a brain tumor are severe headaches, projectile vomiting, and aphasia. However, for elderly patients over the age of 70, the initial symptoms often do not follow the usual pattern: Core Danger Signal 01: Abrupt Changes in Personality and Memory.

Why is this happening? The frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are key areas responsible for managing our personality, emotions, and memory. When a tumor invades or compresses these regions, it can directly disrupt the circuits involved in emotional regulation and memory formation, leading to the aforementioned symptoms. The proportion of elderly patients presenting with such psychiatric symptoms at onset is significantly higher than that of younger patients, while seizures are relatively rare.

Is there any way to treat elderly patients with glioma? Despite the challenges in treating high-grade gliomas, particularly glioblastomas, modern medicine has developed individualized comprehensive treatment plans aimed at extending survival and improving quality of life while preserving neurological function as much as possible.

Surgical Treatment: Core Fundamentals. As long as the physical condition permits, surgery remains the first choice. The goal is to safely remove the tumor as extensively as possible, laying the foundation for subsequent treatment.

Comprehensive Treatment: A Multi-Faceted Approach to Tumor Control. Postoperative combined treatment: After surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are usually combined to eliminate any remaining tumor cells.

New technologies bring new hope: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy: This is a non-invasive treatment involving wearing a device to suppress the division of tumor cells using specific electric fields. For elderly patients who cannot tolerate intensified chemotherapy, this treatment serves as an important supplement. Research shows that when TTFields therapy is combined with chemotherapy, it can extend the median survival time of patients with glioblastoma to 20.9 months and increase the five-year survival rate to 13%, marking a significant advancement in treatment.

Targeted therapy: precise attacks on tumors with specific genetic mutations. Treatment principles: Weigh the pros and cons, and focus on quality of life. The treatment of elderly patients requires special consideration of their physical tolerance, finding the optimal balance between anti-tumor therapy and maintaining a good quality of life. Although it is currently difficult to achieve a complete cure, through scientific long-term management, living with cancer can be possible.

How to prevent it? What should I do if a family member exhibits unusual behavior? Although the exact cause of glioma is unknown, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk.

Stay away from high-risk factors: Avoid exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation and toxic chemicals, and pay attention to occupational safety. Reduce the long-term close placement of mobile phones.

Cultivating Good Habits: Maintain a light and balanced diet, consume more fresh fruits and vegetables along with high-quality proteins, and reduce the intake of preserved and fried foods. Establish a regular routine, quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption, and avoid long periods of staying up late and excessive mental stress. Adhere to moderate exercise to enhance immunity.

The most important action guide: If an elderly person at home experiences a sudden personality change or a dramatic decline in memory within a short period (weeks or months), do not simply attribute it to aging or dementia. It is crucial to take them to a neurosurgery or neurology department immediately for a CT scan or MRI of the head. Early detection, diagnosis, and intervention are the most critical steps in improving prognosis.