Abutia, originally denotes a “disorder of will” (bul in Latin).
“Abulia” or apathy as described by the Oxford Medical Dictionary is ‘the lack or impairment of willpower’ wherein ‘an individual still possesses desires but they are not put into any action’. It is basically a state of decreased motivation which is not due to cognitive impairment or emotional distress or decreased consciousness.
It can vary in severity, ranging from subtle to overwhelming. The three major disorders of diminished motivation (DDM) include apathy, abulia and akinetic mutism. Apathy is the mildest form of the disease, abulia in the middle and akinetic mutism is the most extreme form of the spectrum.
Abulia can either take place independently but commonly is seen in a constellation of symptoms associated with either neurological or psychiatric disorders.
What is the pathology behind abulia ?
Though abulia is not only caused by ageing by itself, it has been seen in a number of other conditions associated with ageing. These are Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, Stroke and Frontotemporal dementia.
What are the Symptoms of abulia ?
An individual with abulia may appear not to have the will or motivation to pursue activities or initiate conversation.
They may show signs of being emotionally remote, apathetic, disinterested, asocial, quiet or mute and physically slowed speech or actions. Abulia is associated with poor function and increased carer stress.
How is abulia diagnosed ?
Diagnosis of abulia is established in terms of behaviour, thoughts and resulting symptoms. Assessment and management of abulia are then described by a biopsychosocial approach to the causes of motivational loss.
Investigators from psychiatry, neuropsychology, rehabilitative medicine and occupational therapy agree that abulia is a major source of disability as this diminished motivation contributes to loss of social autonomy, financial and vocational loss, and family burden.
What you need to do if you think you have abulia ?
The first step in following up on symptoms is contacting your regular primary care physician. The workup for abulia (& other motivational disorders) is designed to evaluate overall health and identify how well the mind is working.
In many cases, the doctor or primary care physician refers the patient to specialists like:
- Neurologist who specializes in diseases of the brain and nervous system
- Psychiatrist who specializes in disorders that affect mood or the way the mind works
- Psychologist with special training in motivational disorders.
What is the treatment of abulia ?
Abulia has significant clinical implications as it is potentially treatable. But drugs and non-drug treatments may help with both cognitive and behavioural symptoms.
Depending on its etiology, abulia may be the primary clinical disturbance, as a symptom of some other disorder, or a co-existing second disorder requiring independent diagnosis and management.
Patients with apathy may require pharmacological interventions, but the preservation of cognitive and communicative capacity calls increasingly for psychological and social interventions. Such interventions are based on careful characterization of the patient’s motivational and neuropsychological status.
Treatment of both akinetic mutism and abulia is mainly by pharmacological interventions.
How to find neurologists for abulia treatment ?
Now you can find neurologists for abulia treatment from different hospitals and destinations on a single platform, Hinfoways. You can avail opinions from multiple neurologists, get cost estimates for abulia treatment from different hospitals, compare things and then choose a neurologist for abulia treatment.
Find a neurologist for abulia treatment on Hinfoways. Make an informed choice.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is meant for general informational purposes only and hence SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, care or evaluation by a qualified doctor/physician or other relevantly qualified healthcare provider.
