In Alzheimer’s patients, especially during the mid- to late-stages, delusions become common. This person is considered deluded by thinking they have a sickness they probably do not have, based off of reliable evidence. ![]() This person has visited the doctor numerous times and each time the doctor tells them that there is nothing wrong, but our worried friend does not believe the repeated tests and evaluations performed already. For example, consider a hypochondriac who believes he or she has a terminal illness. Knowing the difference between them will help you respond more efficiently and appropriately when these instances occur.Ī delusion is defined as a belief that is held when there is evidence that the belief is not true. In this blog, we want to talk about the difference between these two phenomena. ![]() If this happens, seek medical help as soon as possible.If you have an aging loved one with Alzheimer’s, they may at one point experience delusions and/or hallucinations. Other causes such as low blood sugar and head injury can also cause confusion. Particularly in older people, infections like a chest or bladder infection can make someone become suddenly confused (delirium). You can read more about the emotional effects of stroke. The emotional impact of a stroke can lead to depression, which can change how someone acts. You can read more in our guide to behaviour changes after stroke. They might become less inhibited, or they could lose interest in things they used to enjoy. People can sometimes behave out of character due to a stroke. ![]() You can read more about these changes to your perception in our guide to problems with memory and thinking. Spatial neglect: not being aware of things to one side of your body.Not being aware that you’ve been affected by a stroke, such as not realising you can’t use your hand or can’t walk (anosognosia).Not being able to recognise faces (prosopagnosia).Thinking that part of your body does not belong to you, or belongs to someone else (somatoparaphrenia).Problems with identifying things (agnosia).Some types of changes to perception due to cognitive effects (problems with memory and thinking): To an observer, this could make it seem as if someone is imagining things, but the cause is damage to their cognitive or language skills. Read more in our guide to changes to taste and smell.Ī stroke can affect your ability to recognise things, or find the right names for objects or people. Changes to taste and smell after stroke include a smell of burning, or a metallic taste in your mouth.Read more in our guide to physical effects of stroke. Sensation changes after stroke include burning or cold sensations, and pins and needles.Migraine aura can also cause visual, sensory and balance disturbances.Read our guide to seizures after a stroke. Seizures and epilepsy can cause visual disturbances, as well as changes to hearing and sensation.If you experience these types of vision changes, have an urgent eye test to look for any problems with your eyes or eyesight. Some eye conditions can cause problems like flashes of light, a halo effect or moving black spots. Check if hearing aids are working well, and think about a hearing test. Sometimes a hearing problem can distort sounds, or hearing aids can make noises. You might hear sounds along with a visual hallucination. ![]() This can include hearing voices, which may seem to come from inside or outside your head. Hearing sounds and voices (auditory hallucinations) Many people don’t find the hallucinations worrying and realise they are not real. They may disappear within a few weeks, but sometimes carry on for longer.Įach hallucination may last for several minutes or up to several hours, and they often occur in the evening. These hallucinations often involve vivid, colourful scenes with animals, people and patterns. This is a type of visual hallucination that can occur when there is damage to the midbrain. You can also read our information about vision problems after stroke.ĭue to damage in the mid-brain (peduncular hallucinosis) There is no specific treatment for Charles Bonnet syndrome, but RNIB has information and advice about coping with the condition, as well as making the most of your vision. The hallucinations can appear as simple patterns or complex images of people, places and objects. These types of hallucinations are usually temporary but may last for several months before reducing. If you lose all or part of your field of vision after a stroke, the brain might generate images to fill in the missing areas. Visual hallucinations due to a loss of vision are also known as Charles Bonnet syndrome.
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