Dementia research is still coming at us fast and furious. We're now seeing sensational headlines about scary things, all in the interest of getting us to read further.
They certainly got my attention with the recent headline "Brain Fluid draining eases dementia: research"! . ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)Online recently reported that the Launceston General Hospital in Tasmania, Australia had "made a major breakthough in the treatment of dementia care". I was nervous to think how this brain draining research could be helpful but I kept reading. The article briefly discussed the hospital's Dementia Research Centre, led by Dr. George Razay and how the results "...reveal significant improvement in their physical and mental functioning.." The piece went on to give great percentages on improvement in walking, memory and balance. Wow, this sounds terrific and from ABC online!
Not so fast. Digging a little deeper, it turns out that the type of dementia this research is referring to is called "Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus". This kind of dementia responds to a minor surgical procedure in which a shunt is inserted into the brain to drain excess fluid. This information was from another article from "The Mercury: The Voice of Tasmania" and clarifies the real story.
But what if you are out there googling and blogging away looking for treatment for someone with dementia? The first article clearly led you to believe that brain draining was something new for those with dementia.
There is enough panic out there without new research adding to the sensationalism. Just present your information clearly to those of us who need it and save the screaming headlines for the tabloids.
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