Mailbox Response

The question was submitted Monday, 17 March 2008

Subject: aquired brain injury with dementia

my husband was first diagonised with probably frontal lobe dementia after 17 years i was told by numerous specialist that we will never be able to have a clear diagnosis with now the most probable diagnosis of organic frontal lobe damage with psychotic thoughts my question has been for a very long time can antipsychotic medication (he has been on many different antisychocic drugs for 16 years) give symptoms of not being interested in life, not able to comprehend, not having insight,having delusional thoughts about feeling that he is dying but not wanting to hurt himself only of bizarre symptoms eg.his liver not working of his stomach not working ect

Answer from DementiaNet

The symptoms you describe are classical of frontal lobe dementia or frontal lobe pathology. The reason he would have been tried on so many antipsychotic medications is in order to try to better control aspects of the symptoms that are troublesome for himself or for others.

Commonly we see depression occurring in people with dementia at different stages. Some of the symptoms you describe could reflect a depressive component, eg "not being interested in life". Occasionally depression can be associated with paranoid or delusional symptoms but it is unlikely to be the case given the duration of the history (17 years) and the various psychiatrists that have seen him.

Antipsychotic medication can cause various side effects but it is unlikely that the symptoms you describe would be side effects of this medication.

Most forms of dementia can be associated with paranoid or psychotic features. Frontal lobe dementia particularly shows these symptoms. Lack of insight is a characteristic feature. Medication is used to try to dampen down the extent of these symptoms that are causing distress to either the patient or concern or harm to the family and carers.

The answer was published on DementiaNet Tuesday, 25 March 2008