Personal insights inspired by my mum’s dementia
You may be surprised to learn that your gut bacteria could affect your mood, your behaviours, and even your brain functions, but the evidence is mounting, and researchers are building an understanding of how gut bacteria and the health of the brain are connected.
That flutter you get when you’re nervous is more than just a feeling in the pit of your stomach. It’s a sign of the fact that our brain and gut are actually inextricably intertwined in ways we still don’t fully understand. Studies have found that an entire communication system exists between the brain and gut, which is commonly referred to as the gut-brain axis. Read more about how the gut microbiome could modulate brain function and behaviour via the gut-brain axis here.
This means that conditions in the gut could have an impact on what the brain does and how we feel, and conversely, how we feel emotionally can impact how the gut functions.
The gut-brain axis plays an important role in several digestive, psychiatric, and neurological disorders. The effects of the gut microbiome on the brain are complicated and not very well understood. What we do know is that changes in the gut microbiome can change all sorts of things, from feeding habits to our inflammation response, irritable bowel syndrome, an increased risk of developing obesity and Type II diabetes,and even anxiety and depression.
Most of the microorganisms in our intestines are considered good bacteria that promote health, but an imbalance of bacteria can have a detrimental impact on a person’s immune system and is linked to various diseases, such as, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Which brings me to why I want to dedicate this month to raise awareness around the importance of a healthy gut for a healthy brain. My mum.
Just before my dad died at the end of 2019, we started to notice subtle changes with Mum’s memory. The shock of Dad’s death certainly had an impact on Mum’s mental health, as it did on my own!
I had long known that the stroke Mum had thirteen years ago would probably put her at risk of some kind of dementia and this was confirmed in December 2023 when she was admitted to hospital with hallucinations and delusions. She had a brain scan and was diagnosed as having Vascular Dementia (likely from the stroke) and Alzheimer’s Disease. The AD has affected the frontal lobes of her brain, and this can cause changes in behaviour.
Taking action after a sudden turn
Last autumn, I decided to take Mum to see her GP and chat about her memory issues. He referred her to the Memory Clinic where she had a pretty gruelling 2-hour set of tests. More information about the process can be found here.
A follow-up appointment was made for Mum to attend the Memory Clinic again in December, but events took a different turn when at the end of November, her symptoms escalated, as she started to experience hallucinations, delusions, getting mixed up with days and times, getting up at 10pm thinking it was 10am and going to bed at 10am thinking it was 10pm. It was all very distressing. She was talking to people who were not there and was not able to take care of herself in any way at all. We rang 111 and they sent an ambulance. She was admitted to hospital on the 7 December, 2023 and discharged on 4 January, 2024. She now has three carers coming to her house daily and Meals at Home. She’s lucky because she has family members who visit every day.
We’re not sure why Mum’s symptoms became so acute and severe at the end of November/early December 2023, but my theory is that she had a UTI. I took a urine sample to her GP surgery at the beginning of December and they tested it. The result was that there was no active infection, but there was a high white blood cell count in the urine which to me, indicates an infection or previous infection. We have been encouraging her to drink more water to help flush out her bladder to prevent any further risk of a UTI. Thank goodness, this is one thing she seems to remember to do!
Because she still struggles with dates, days, and times. I’ve bought her this clock from Amazon and it’s been a blessing. It has a digital display that shows the date, day, and time and also says whether it’s morning or afternoon.
Routine is extremely important for dementia sufferers and anything out of Mum’s normal routine can cause her anxiety. Luckily, she sees the same carers and she likes and trusts them. This is a big weight off my shoulders. However, we also installed Ring cameras in all Mum’s rooms at home, with the exception of the toilet/bathroom so I can go to the app on my mobile phone and check that she’s ok. These have been a godsend too because I can speak to Mum through the Ring cameras as they have speakers. She’s not able to call or answer the phone any longer, but using the Ring cameras/speakers, we can still chat when I’m not physically there.
Let’s protect our brain health
Witnessing my mum’s gradual decline has been both heart-wrenching and eye-opening. It has deeply impressed upon me the critical importance of brain health and the need to understand more about the factors that influence it, and share that information with you all. The gut-brain connection stands out as a pivotal area that deserves greater attention and awareness.
Over the coming weeks, I would like to delve deeper into the science behind brain health and the factors that can either support or undermine it. We will look at how lifestyle choices, diet, and even stress levels can profoundly influence our brain’s resilience against diseases like dementia. I hope I can bring some newfound understanding about the steps we can all take to protect our brain health. If you have any questions in the meantime about a digestive and gut health issue or would like to know more about our supplements, please get in touch.
