Document Type
Article
Department
Brain and Mind Institute
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Dementia prevalence is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, poten-tially due to population growth and aging. Resource-constrained settings such asNortheastern Nigeria face challenges in dementia management.
METHODS: We assessed dementia burden and management at the Federal Neuropsy-chiatric Hospital Maiduguri, the only neuropsychiatric facility in Northeastern Nigeria.This retrospective analysis included patient records from 1999 to 2023 for individuals60 year of age and older with a dementia diagnosis.
RESULTS: Of the 1216 cases reported, Alzheimer’s disease (60.5%) was the mostcommon subtype, followed by vascular dementia (24.5%). Hypertension (41.6%) wasthe most frequent comorbidity. Memory loss was present in all cases, whereasbehavioral symptoms like agitation presented in some cases. Treatments includedcognitive enhancers (donepezil), supplements (gingko biloba), and non-drug therapies(psychoeducation).
DISCUSSION: The increasing burden of dementia at this sole facility highlights theurgent need for targeted interventions and further research to understand theunderlying factors contributing to dementia in this population.
Publication (Name of Journal)
Alzheimer's & Dementia
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14538
Recommended Citation
Wakawa, I. A.,
Musami, U. B.,
Kwairanga, S. H.,
Ogualili, P. N.,
Mahmood, M. Y.,
Fugu, M. A.,
Gimba, M. M.,
Allamin, M. M.,
Abbas, Z. U.,
Momoh, C.
(2025). Dementia in a resource-constrained sub-Saharan African setting: A comprehensive retrospective analysis of prevalence, risk factors, and management at the only neuropsychiatric facility in Northeastern Nigeria. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 1-12.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/bmi/456
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
