A person with a learning disability is more likely to develop dementia, and it may get worse quicker than someone without a learning disability. However, for people with more complex learning disabilities, the initial symptoms are likely to be less obvious.
People with learning disabilities are at increased risk of developing dementia as they age, compared with others without a learning disability, although the figures vary according to how the diagnosis is made. About 1 in 5 people with a learning disability who are over the age of 65 will develop dementia.
It is not easy to define the symptoms because many people with dementia develop signs of depression, such as feelings of low self-esteem and confidence, tearfulness and appetite, concentration and memory problems.
The effects of a learning disability on the individual range from mild to severe to profound (very severe). The term 'dementia' describes a set of symptoms that typically include loss of memory, behavioural or mood changes, and problems with communication, reasoning and daily activities.
Memory problems
Memory loss is often the first and main symptom in early Alzheimer's disease.
The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's and other dementias is increasing age, but these disorders are not a normal part of aging. While age increases risk, it is not a direct cause of Alzheimer's. Most individuals with the disease are 65 and older.
For most people with Alzheimer's — those who have the late-onset variety — symptoms first appear in their mid-60s or later. When the disease develops before age 65, it's considered early-onset Alzheimer's, which can begin as early as a person's 30s, although this is rare.
ADHD and dementia may share genetic pathways, but there's no evidence that ADHD directly causes dementia later in life. Living with ADHD may increase the chance of developing other diseases, which may in turn increase the chance of experiencing dementia.
ADHD Is Associated With Short-Term Memory Problems
Although they do not have problems with long-term memories, people with ADHD may have impaired short-term — or working — memory, research shows. As a result, they may have difficulty remembering assignments or completing tasks that require focus or concentration.
Studies show that dementia risk is lowest in people who have several healthy behaviours in mid-life (aged 40–65). These behaviours include: ∎regular mental, physical and social activity ∎not smoking ∎drinking alcohol only in moderation ∎keeping a healthy diet.
Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia.
Research suggests that education helps the brain develop more synapses, which are the junctions between brain cells that relay information, “but we're not entirely sure,” says Oh. More synapses may boost cognitive reserve, which may help prevent dementia.
In addition, highly intelligent people have been found, on average, to show clinical signs of Alzheimer's later than the general population. Once they do, they decline much faster. Thought to reflect their greater mental reserves, this different pattern may call for a different approach to diagnosis.
A case study reported on a 19-year-old, the youngest known patient to be diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease. The teen showed a steady decline in memory and focus and medical studies found physiological markers for early onset of the disease.
The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam, known as SAGE, is a brief, pen-and-paper cognitive assessment tool designed to detect the early signs of cognitive, memory, or thinking impairments. The test evaluates your thinking abilities. This can help your doctors understand how well your brain is functioning.
Patient assessment tools:
The GPCOG is a screening tool for cognitive impairment designed for use in primary care and is available in multiple languages. Mini-Cog - The Mini-Cog is a 3-minute test consisting of a recall test for memory and a scored clock-drawing test.
The five-minute cognitive test (FCT) was designed to capture deficits in five domains of cognitive abilities, including episodic memory, language fluency, time orientation, visuospatial function, and executive function.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
Treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is typically most effective when started early in the disease process. This includes medications as well as some alternative therapies. Learn more about how to treat dementia.