When someone is diagnosed with a chronic condition like hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, or high cholesterol, treatment usually focuses on organs like the heart and kidneys. While these are crucial, one vital organ often overlooked despite its significant impact is the brain.
These chronic diseases are not simply "vascular diseases" or "metabolic diseases." They are "brain diseases" that can silently erode cognitive function and increase the risk of serious neurological damage.
Why Do Chronic Diseases Affect the Brain?
The brain is a very energy- and blood-hungry organ. Although it only weighs about 2% of the body, it receives 20% of the total blood flow and requires 20% of the body's oxygen and glucose. Chronic disease disrupts this vital supply in several ways:
1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Persistently high blood pressure can damage and narrow the tiny blood vessels in the brain. This makes them stiff, fragile, and susceptible to blockage or even rupture. This damage disrupts proper blood flow, depriving brain cells of nutrients and oxygen, which can ultimately lead to cognitive impairment, stroke, and vascular dementia.
2. Diabetes Mellitus
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels damage blood vessel walls throughout the body, including the brain. Furthermore, diabetes impairs the ability of brain cells to efficiently use glucose as fuel.
This combination of insufficient blood supply and impaired brain cell metabolism accelerates cognitive decline and increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
3. High Cholesterol
Excess LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) can build up on blood vessel walls, forming plaque (atherosclerosis). If this plaque forms in the carotid arteries or other blood vessels in the brain, it can restrict blood flow.
If a plaque ruptures, a clot can form that suddenly blocks a blood vessel in the brain, causing an ischemic stroke.
The Impact of Chronic Disease on Brain Function
This silent and gradual damage manifests itself in various forms:
- Cognitive Decline . Difficulty remembering, concentrating, making decisions, or learning new things.
- Vascular Dementia . A condition of progressive decline in thinking function that causes limitations in performing daily activities.
- Stroke . An attack that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is reduced, either due to a blockage (ischemic stroke) or a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke).
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). An attack that resembles a stroke, but the symptoms are temporary and the patient can return to normal, but there is a high risk of a true stroke.
The Importance of Regular Brain Function Checks
Brain function screening shouldn't be something you wait until severe symptoms appear. For people with chronic illnesses, this screening is both preventative and early detection. Many tests can be performed for early detection of brain disease, one of which is screening for cognitive impairment. EMC Hospital currently offers Digital Brain Function Screening (DBFS). The exam is designed like a series of fun, interactive games or tests, but is supported by scientific algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) for in-depth analysis.
Advantages of DBFS Compared to Conventional Inspection
The presence of DBFS addresses the limitations of conventional neurological examination methods which are often time-consuming, subjective, and only performed when symptoms are severe.
- Fast and Efficient . The screening process only takes 15-20 minutes.
- Accurate and Objective . The results are analyzed by computer, minimizing subjective bias from the examiner.
- Non-invasive and comfortable. There are no instruments attached to the body or painful procedures. Patients simply complete a series of on-screen tests.
- Superior Early Detection. The DBFS can detect even very mild cognitive decline, which is often not apparent in a typical clinical interview.
DBFS Services at EMC Hospital
DBFS services are now available at all EMC hospitals. Interested EMC members can consult with a neurologist to determine their needs or schedule a Medical Check-Up (MCU) directly.
Medical Check Up at EMC Alam Sutera Hospital 0822-1076-8071
Article written by Dr. Gloria Tanjung, Sp.N (Neurology Specialist Doctor at EMC Alam Sutera & Sentul Hospital).