Question

"Since Russell's wife died, he has been eating the exact same thing—and a very small amount of it—for breakfast and lunch every day. Most nights, he skips dinner. Sometimes he seems confused when his granddaughter calls to check in on him. Based solely on this information, which diagnosis is most likely?"

A) Malnutrition is causing symptoms that mimic dementia.
B) He must have had a ministroke.
C) He is likely in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
D) Lewy body dementia is the most likely cause of his symptoms.

Answer 1

The elderly individual, Russell, with his reduced and restricted dietary intake, could be suffering from malnutrition which can manifest cognitive deficits that resemble dementia.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based solely on the information provided, the most likely diagnosis for Russell is Malnutrition causing symptoms that mimic dementia (A). Elderly individuals, like Russell, who consume a very small amount of food and skip meals regularly, could potentially suffer from malnutrition. This undernutrition can lead to cognitive deficits such as confusion, which could be mistaken for dementia-like symptoms. Moreover, malnutrition can exacerbate the effects of aging and incite dementia-like symptoms even in the absence of a neurodegenerative disease.