People are more aware of heart diseases than neurological disorders, said neurologists at an event on World Brain Day in a city hospital here on Tuesday.
“Brain is the most important organ of our body. It is very important to dispel myths and superstitions regarding various neurological disorders so that people suffering from such ailments can be treated on time,” neurologist M.K. Manocha said.
There has been a steady rise in the number of dementia cases in India, said neurologist S.S. Nandi.
“Dementia is an irreversible degenerative disorder of the brain affecting elderly persons; leading to memory loss, vocabulary, feeling disoriented with one’s surroundings and change in behaviour. In the later stages, persons affected with dementia can also cease to recognise their loved ones and caregivers,” Dr. Nandi said.
Listing cerebral stroke and Alzheimer’s disease as the reasons for the onset of dementia, Dr. Nandi said keeping the mind engaged in intellectual matters, crosswords, Sudokus would help slowing the onset of stroke.
“With 35 lakh affected persons in India, the country is the second highest dementia-affected country in the world, after China,” Dr. Nandi said.
Epilepsy was still shrouded in myths and superstitions, said professor and neurologist Arabinda Mukherjee.
“In developing countries, only about 25 per cent with epilepsy get treated because of the stigma attached to it. Epilepsy doesn’t have anything to do with lunacy,” Dr. Mukherjee said.
Earlier, Indian courts would grant divorce if any of the partners in a marriage was epileptic. The law had since been altered and epilepsy could no longer be used a reason to seek divorce, Dr. Mukherjee said.
“It is common to hear of parents of epileptic girls being apprehensive about getting their daughters married. Only a small percentage of epilepsy is hereditary and epileptic women are completely capable of getting married and bearing children,” he added.
With the high-paced lifestyles that people lead currently, it was important to keep blood pressure and glucose levels under constant check to keep neurological disorders at bay, doctors said.
