-My mun is 76 years old. 7 days ago she had a high fever due to influenza and made some strange behaviors.Walking undressed in hotel corridors and saying non sense words during the high fever period.Later when fever came down she recalled what she did.-Although she is in convalescing from this fever now she is studying newspapers , doing her house work and her other daily works but a little trouble in remembering right words or some names like US president. She recalls all these in a few minutes later. -May I add that in recent months she tried to attract our attention but we did not spend much on her. She was also nagging a lot and slandering people whom in past she did not like too.-Visiting a psychaiatrist , he said it is a dementia but early to mild stage.-Visiting a Neurologist , he said it is too soon to judge and we have to wait till infection is cured , however it could be a sign of fronto temporal dementia (FTD). -Today we got her Brain CT-scan report (axial with no IV contrast) is as below ,-Other data , no record of dementia in her family (parents , brothers and sisters) At supratentorial region , cerebral parenchyma , ventricles , basal ganglia , sellar and suprasellar region are intact. Normal posterior fossa .Hyperostosis frontalis interna , a normal variant is seen.Now we are confused if she intends to show up illness to get our attention , if she suffers fro a depression or it is a demencia? what should be our next step?
Optional Information: Person's Gender: Female Person's Age: 76
I am honored to assist you. My answers are for information purposes only. They don’t substitute for a visit to a doctor’s office. Doctor/patient relationship is not established.
According to the sudden onset with the infection, most likely she has delirium. It is a serious disturbance in a person's mental abilities that results in a decreased awareness of one's environment and confused thinking.
The symptoms will be gone shortly after the infection is cured.
Any questions?
Thanks Khagihara
More question ,
if fever is always due to an infection ? If not if fever without infection can still be the cause. If from CT scan you see any possibility for FTD?
Most likely fever is due to an infection. Overactive thyroid causes fever. But it is unlikely in her case.
Frontal lobe atrophy out of proportion to atrophy in other brain regions can sometimes be detected in FTD. MRI is more preferred than CT if it is not contraindicated. From the CT, it is very less likely she has FTD.