It is easier to understand the cause of a symptom if we look at how the organ evolved in the animal world and what role it plays. In this case, we look at the function of the appendix and the cause of dementia and brain atrophy from the perspective of the evolution of the koala.
Changes affecting the lips are driven by emotional/sensory content where we either desire contact with something through the mouth or, conversely, want to keep something at a distance, fearing contact.
The (epithelial) changes in the respiratory tract and their emotional triggers can be highly diverse due to the extensive functionality of the epithelial tissue in the nose and airways.
The nasal mucosa is involved in detecting odors and temperature, filtering the air needed for breathing, warming and humidifying it, and cleaning contaminants that enter the airways.