General Brain Atrophy

[helena]

I don't want to repeat my post to the question on brain injury but this is something which has been going over and over in my mind.

I have (in my ignorance) not realised until I came to this site that psychological trauma can cause atrophy in parts of the brain. I always assumed that the trauma had to be physical.

I don't know really what question I am trying to get out but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with guilt at the moment - I cannot stop thinking of my mother who had alzheimers. I knew what the psychological effect of living with my father could be like but now I am struggling with coming to terms with the fact that he could have caused her to have alzheimers...

I am reading more and more that there is a connection between stress and alzheimers... am I completely off the wall here???? I don't know what to think

 

[goingonhope]

Helena,

I've recently read in medical journals about the connection of TBI and the risk and connection to later alzheimers, but quite honestly as of yet I haven't read anything about stress and the connection to and risk of later possible alzheimers.

Anything life-threatening (integrity-threatening) that's perceived as traumatic be it of chronic psychological nature or physical or any of countless other abuses and traumatic events and/or witness too, yes can and often does change or alter the nuerobiological make-up of the brains wiring and chemistry, but I've never heard or read of it causing alzheimers.

I personally would highly tend to believe that there are certain symptoms along the DID continuum or scale that could mimic symptoms of alzheimers.

As well as, perhaps other illnesses or conditions,

and even secondary manifestations of Ptsd mimicking symptoms of alzheimers, ie. (such as states of mind produced and/or symptoms resulting from alcohol or drug abuse or toxcity) ....with these perhaps presenting as if alzheimers, but simply not being so.

However, there is scientific material written most definately suggesting a connection between TBI and greater risk of developing true alzheimers.

Helena, just an opinion but I really don't think that your father caused your mother's alzheimers. Sometimes there is a tendency to want to assign blame to someone for things that they're simply not to blame.

To develop doubts and suspicions, or even hold resentments, toward someone of a psychol. abusive nature or with such psych. abusive patterned tendencies is natural, but to consider coming to believe that something so highly unlikely is true isn't worth entertaining.

I suggest we both read, read, and read some more while being careful, even most vigilant when need be, and always checking what we dare come to believe.

Helena, please take much good personal care and my best to you.