Posted by Sunnely on August 12, 2000, at 2:03:20
In reply to Yucky come-on - feel like it's my fault (long), posted by Kath on August 11, 2000, at 12:32:15
Kath,
Firstly, I highly doubt your dad-in-law's behavior was brought about by whatever you did. Please don't blame yourself.
Secondly, I believe he is suffering from some form of neurological condition presenting as psychiatric symptoms. One possibility is a form of dementia complicated by disturbance in mood or personality. The dementing symptoms would include what you described as having a bad memory, telling the same stories over and over ("perseveration"), and I would venture to say, may be even "confabulation" wherein a person fills gaps in memory by talking about things that never happened (making up stories but not intentionally).
Whatever the cause of this dementing process is, it is complicated by the inappropriate behavior you described. One possibility is the condition called "Organic Mood Disorder," (manic) exemplified by his inappropriate sexual comments/behavior, and impaired judgment (both are forms of disinhibited behavior). The other possibility is the condition called "Organic Personality Disorder," from being a "nice and always sweet man" to a "dirty old man."
You should have your dad-in-law evaluated by his physician to look for possible cause(s) of this inappropriate behavior in an 86-year-old man. He needs to undergo psychiatric/neurological and probably neuropsychological evaluation. He will also need a battery of laboratory tests such as comprehensive metabolic panels, other blood tests, and x-rays. An MRI, a sensitive scan of the brain, will be able to pick even subtle abnormal brain changes that may explain the dementia and his behavior. If he has a history of long-standing high blood pressure, one strong possibility is a vascular type dementia such as "multi-infarct" dementia (mini-strokes). Other possible causes are tumors, trauma, infection/inflammation, nutritional, effects of certain drugs, metabolic or endocrine process, just to name a few.
poster:Sunnely
thread:42604
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000811/msgs/42662.html