Dear Dr. Fritz,
Please call me Eve F. My mother has dementia. I wonder if there are subtle facial signs that can detect dementia before any medical tests. And if there are signs, what are these?
Thanks for your reply.
Eve F.
Dear Eve F.,
Yes, according to studies, there are unique subtle signs on the face that are especially seen in the eyes, ears, and mouth that may help detect dementia decades before medical tests. By the way, for those who are not familiar with dementia, this is a group of conditions that cause loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities, severe enough to interfere with one’s daily life. And the most common form is Alzheimer’s disease. The problem is, there is no test to detect the condition, which means that doctors rely on a combination of exams, tests, and scans.
But, while the first sign of dementia is widely known to be loss of memory, let me give you certain early signs in the face that can warn you about this cognitive decline.
1. The jaw muscle is shrinking
This is one of the easiest signs to spot for dementia. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions reported that those with smaller temporalis muscles have a 60 percent higher
risk to develop dementia.
In their study, the researchers measured 621 people’s temple muscles using MRI scans, and the results showed that 131 of them had large muscles while 488 had small temple muscles. But, they discovered during an average follow-up of 5.8 years that those who had lost the most temple muscle had a significantly increased risk of developing dementia.
Well, as we are running out of space this time, let me continue this topic in my next issue.
Until then!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist, surgeon, and clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15-year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Door 11, Ebro-Pelayo Building 1, Juan Luna St., Barangay 29-C, Davao City, or email them to dokatlaw@gmail.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret
that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)