Witness neurologist says Saakashvili's dementia diagnosis poses risk of death
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
American expert and neurologist Shaheen Emanuel Lahani, spoke as a witness in the city court, regarding the state of health of Mikheil Saakashvili. Lahani stated that the former president of Georgia has chronic diseases that pose a risk of death and are rapidly worsening, adding that seizures and convulsive attacks can lead to sudden death if not treated appropriately.
According to the expert, the serious diseases that Saakashvili is suffering from are hindering factors for serving the sentence.
"I can say about Saakashvili's health condition that he is seriously ill. He suffers from various dysfunctions, including those of the brain, spinal cord, and digestive system. The most severe diagnosis is unspecified dementia, convulsions, as well as damage to the peripheral nervous system, which makes it difficult for him to walk.
Also, pressure on the spinal cord from the intervertebral discs in the neck area of the vertebral column, a very significant degree of post-traumatic stress disorder. In connection with it, there is polypharmacy, i.e., the prescription of multiple inappropriate medications, he has transient losses of consciousness and seizures. It has rapid changes in temperature and pressure and significant muscle stretching. This is a list of all his serious illnesses.," the expert noted.
According to the neurologist, "Saakashvili's dementia is rapidly worsening." As the expert pointed out, this leads to the disruption of a person's daily activities, such as self-care.
"Before being placed in prison, he was neurologically healthy, he had intellectual functions at an appropriate level, and was able to communicate freely and fully with people. There was a marked decline in his abilities after his arrest, which I saw both in the documents and in my examination of him.
According to Shaheen Emanuel Lahani, Mikheil Saakashvili is not receiving the right treatment and recovery under the current condition is unlikely.
