INSIGHTS INTO DEMENTIA: A PROSPECTIVE CLINICO-NEUROLOGICAL STUDY ON DEMENTIAAT JODHPUR, RAJASTHAN

ABSTRACT Background: Dementia presents a formidable challenge as it involves a gradual deterioration of cognitive abilities and daily functioning. This condition not only impacts individuals directly but also places substantial burdens on caregivers and healthcare systems globally. Objective: To get insights into the neuroanatomical and functional alterations associated with dementia. Methods: This study conducted at the MDM Hospital of Dr S. N. Medical college, Jodhpur involved a total of 40 dementia patients and 20 age- and gender-matched controls, recorded clinical manifestations of dementia. The study employed advanced neuroimaging methods, identied characteristic pathological hallmarks. Results: Results shows that 90% of dementia patients are above 45 years of age, males constitute 70% cases. Alzheimer's disease was the most common cause of dementia followed by fronto-temporal dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinson's dementia. MoCA, ACE-iii both scores are lower in patients then the healthy controls. DTI revealed decreased fractional anisotropy and increased diffusivity in patients with impaired attention, but shows did not show any statistically signicant involvement on either side of language domain in our study. Conclusion: This paper underscores the importance of an integrated approach to dementia assessment, incorporating clinical, neurological, and biomarker data to optimize patient care and outcomes