What causes Dementia disease? from isabella's blog

Dementia is an umbrella term for a decline in cognitive functioning. It is a broad category which includes Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and many other conditions. Dementia affects people of all ages but is most common in older adults. The cause of dementia is not always known, but some risk factors make developing the disease more likely. These include age, genetics, head injuries, and lifestyle choices. Dementia can be devastating for both the person affected and their loved ones.

About 50% of individuals over 65 will develop some form of dementia. 10–15% of this group will develop Alzheimer’s disease, and 25–30% will develop a different form of the condition.

Dementia is a group of symptoms that different types of disease can cause. It affects memory, thinking, orientation and movement. Dementiacan affect anyone regardless of age or gender, but it becomes more common as we age. It is a severe condition that can impact the person, their family and friends, and their carers. It is a progressive condition that cannot be cured. The symptoms may vary from person to person, and they will gradually get worse over time. Treatment aims to control the symptoms. Various treatments are available, and these are reviewed regularly in consultation with the individual and their family or carer.

The risk factors for developing dementia are Age as we get older, the risk of developing dementia increases. We all have a finite number of nerve cells or neurons in our brain; when these are damaged, they can affect our memory and ability to think clearly. Women are more likely than men to develop dementia. Women's brains shrink faster and earlier in life, which could also explain why women are at greater risk of developing dementia than men. Family history: A person with a parent or sibling with dementia is at greater risk of developing the condition. The same applies to being related to someone with another type of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease or motor neurone disease.

The symptoms of dementia tend to become progressively worse over time. At first, someone may seem forgetful, but this can develop into a more serious decline in memory and thinking skills. They may struggle to remember things such as what day it is, where they are, and the people around them. This will affect their ability to carry out everyday tasks, such as cooking and driving. As the disease worsens, they may start to have problems with communication, social interactions and motivation. The symptoms of dementia can vary from person to person and how quickly they progress varies too.

There is no cure for dementia, but it can be managed. It is important to seek help from a GP or specialist nurse if you have concerns about memory and thinking skills. They can assess your memory and thinking skills, which may be affected by several conditions, including dementia.