Dementia

As we get older, many of us notice our brain is not as agile and our memory not as sharp as it used to be. It is quite a common observation but it can make us wonder if these memory problems could be an early sign of dementia.  

Here we look at what is known about dementia, symptoms that could suggest you should seek further advice, steps to reaching a diagnosis, and where you or your family can go for more specialist information about treatment and support.

Dementia is predominantly a condition that affects older people. But of the approximately 700,000 people in UK with dementia, there are around 15,000 people who are under 65.

If it is diagnosed early enough there are lots of things that can be done to help you overcome problems and improve the quality of your life.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a progressive disorder that affects how your brain works and in particular the ability to remember, think and reason. 

It is not a disease in itself - but a group of symptoms that may accompany conditions that affect your brain. The most common of these is Alzheimer’s disease.  Another is vascular dementia which can develop following a stroke or if there is blood vessel damage that interrupts the supply blood to your brain.  Dementia is not a normal consequence of growing old.

Could you be at risk?

There does not appear to be a single cause of dementia.  Research to date suggests a combination of factors affect your overall risk of developing it.  You cannot do anything about factors such as your age or genetics but you can make changes to your lifestyle.

Age – this is the most significant risk factor and chances of developing dementia increase with age.

Genetics – this seems to be more significant if you develop dementia under the age of 65.  In the majority of cases the significance of inheritance seems small.  If a parent or other relative develops it, your own chances are only a little higher than if there were no cases in your family.

Lifestyle - people who follow a healthy lifestyle that protects their heart and blood vessels and who enjoy active and fulfilling lives have been shown to have a lower risk of dementia. Therefore aim to:

• eat a varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
• eat less salty and fatty foods, particularly avoiding those high in saturated fat
• drink alcohol in moderation
• stop smoking
• take regular exercise
• enjoy and active life with plenty of outside interests that exercise body and mind
• ask your GP to check your blood pressure and cholesterol

 For more information on Dementia, contact Alzheimer Scotland