Neurodegenerative - semantic dementia

[ppiecyk]

My husband has received a diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Illness , a form of semantic dementia from the Mayo Clinic He has homonymous hemianopsia (which is a visual field defect) he can not see to the right side.
How does this differ from Alzheimer's...or does it?

The neurologist is very vague in his description...stating there are over 40 different types...
He takes Fiorect for head pain but nothing else has been prescribed....

Is there anyone out here who can explain.

Thank you

 

[canary]

Hello ppieyk

When your neurologist said that there were over 40 different types, Im assuming that he meant different types of dementia - Alzheimers is just one of these types.

The part of the brain that does the seeing is at the back of the brain, but if something happens along the way to prevent the signals getting there then that is when you get an homonymous hemianopia. One of the places that the signals go through is the temporal lobe and it is in the temporal lobe that language takes place. So, its a fair bet that if you have language problems and cant see on the right side, then you have got some problem in the left temporal lobe.

Whats causing it though, is a different matter. It could be one of several things - including Alzheimers. Is your husband being sent for any further tests?

 

[Mrsbusy]

My mums sight has been affected, and she looks at things but it doesn't register what she's looking at. Optician said it was fun to the stroke she had. Has your husband been checked for stroke symptoms or TIAs which seem to cause the sight problems sometimes.