What is corticobasal degeneration?

The brain is affected by this degenerative neurological condition. It destroys some cells in the brain; therefore, some parts will begin to shrink or atrophy. The disease may begin on just one side of your body, but both sides are usually affected as this disease advances. As the disease progresses, you start losing your ability to talk, swallow, or move. Besides loss of these abilities, other aspects of thinking such as judgment and memory could be affected by the disease.

What are the types of corticobasal degeneration?

The corticobasal syndrome is a term that specifies that the symptoms, considered together, resemble corticobasal degeneration. Many of the underlying neurodegenerative diseases can be caused by corticobasal syndrome, which includes:

• Progressive supranuclear palsy: This kind, which resembles progressive supranuclear palsy, affects about 1 in 4 people. It impacts speech, swallowing, eye movement, and balance.
• Frontotemporal dementia: About 15% of the affected people develop frontotemporal dementia. They are prone to disorganization in their thought processes and display inappropriate, promiscuous ways of behavior.
• Dementia: About 5% develop some type of dementia, which closely resembles Alzheimer's disease. In such cases, memory is not there, nor can they accurately gauge spatial distances between themselves and other people or objects.
• Aphasia: 5% of people have language problems or aphasia. They struggle to use words correctly, which causes them to fail in grammar and prevent them from forming meaningful sentences.

What are the symptoms of corticobasal degeneration?

Symptoms of corticobasal degeneration often surface in your 60s. A few develop the symptoms beginning with their 40s.

Usually, it starts on one side or limb before spreading to the other parts of the body. As more of the brain is affected by the disease, symptoms get worse.

Symptoms of corticobasal degeneration include:

• Issues with balance and an unsteady gait.
• Having trouble swallowing.
• Issues with memory.
• Contractions (dystonia), twitches (myoclonus), and spasms of the muscles.
• Difficulty doing things like buttoning a shirt or using cutlery.
• Inability to coordinate little movements (apraxia).
• Sluggish motions (bradykinesia) and trouble controlling one limb (alien limb syndrome).
• Dementia.
• Speech slurred or slow and sometimes the inability to find the word (aphasia).
• Tremors.

What causes corticobasal degeneration?

Researchers believe corticobasal degeneration is a form of frontotemporal degeneration and not the same as Alzheimer's disease. The cell breakdown here impacts your brain's frontal and temporal lobes.

The condition is caused by the abnormal clumping together of a protein called tau that is normally located in brain cells. These clumps, also known as neurofibrillary tangles, cause brain cells to degenerate or die, causing problems in movement, speech, and memory.

What are other conditions causing symptoms of corticobasal degeneration?

Some symptoms of corticobasal degeneration are similar to those of the following conditions:

• Brain cancer, or brain tumor.
• Dementia, especially frontotemporal dementia.
• Alzheimer's disease.
• Multiple system atrophy.
• Parkinson's disease.
• Progressive supranuclear palsy.
• Stroke.

How is corticobasal degeneration diagnosed?

Your doctor will do a physical examination in order to make a diagnosis. They carefully review your symptoms. Although this condition results from a gene mutation, no genetic test can identify it or predict it.

You might also undergo:

• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests such as MRIs or CT scans to search for damaged parts of your brain.
• Neuropsychological testing to measure your brain's functions and memory.
• Cerebrospinal fluid tests to assess Alzheimer's disease-related changes or autoimmune abnormalities.

How is corticobasal degeneration treated?

Treatments for corticobasal degeneration aim to help compensate for speech and coordination issues. Medication therapy may help enhance attention or mood-related changes or control muscle jerks. Other movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, rarely respond well to treatment. The condition cannot be cured by any medication.

Your physician might suggest:

• Occupational therapy can teach you new skills to accomplish everyday activities and keep your independence.
• Physical treatment is needed to reduce muscle spasms and preserve mobility.
• Speech therapy to help with swallowing and communicating.

What is the prognosis for someone with corticobasal degeneration?

A person with corticobasal degeneration continues to have severe difficulty in performing self-care.

Most people are alive five to 10 years after the symptom onset. Some of these persons die from medical complications of a fall, decreased mobility, or infections due to their inability to maintain personal hygiene. 

The condition predisposes an individual to potential life-threatening medical complications, such as:

• Blood clots and pulmonary embolism.
• Pneumonia and sepsis-related bacterial infections
• Sepsis.

When should I call the doctor?

Call your healthcare provider if you or a loved one experiences:

• Difficulty walking or controlling limb movements.
• Memory issues or signs of dementia.
• Problems with speech, swallowing or breathing.
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What should I ask my doctor?

You may want to ask your healthcare doctor:

• Could a different disease cause these symptoms?
• What should I plan for as the disease progresses?
• Which medications or other therapies help?

Why Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for corticobasal degeneration?

Tender Palm Hospital, owned by doctors, is renowned for attracting the most experienced professional in the country, with the finest neurologist and neurosurgeons specialized in corticobasal degeneration. Tender Palm stands out as the premier Neurology hospital in Lucknow, India. Boasting cutting-edge infrastructure and advanced technology, Tender Palm ensures top-notch medical care for its patients.

To Book an appointment for corticobasal degeneration

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

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