Age is the biggest risk factor: most people with dementia are older than 65 and the likelihood increases as people get older into their 80's and 90's. This tells us that older people are more likely to develop dementia than younger people.
Women are more likely than men to develop dementia in their lifetimes. One of the main reasons for the greater prevalence of dementia among women is the longer life expectancy of women. of people living with dementia are women.
Non-Hispanic white adults are less likely to develop dementia than most other racial and ethnic groups. Among those ages 70 and older, an estimated 8.5% of non-Hispanic white adults were living with dementia in 2019, compared with 16.1% of non-Hispanic Black adults and 16.4% of Hispanic adults.
More Evidence That Alzheimer's Disease May Be Inherited from Your Mother. Results from a new study contribute to growing evidence that if one of your parents has Alzheimer's disease, the chances of inheriting it from your mother are higher than from your father.
Smoking and alcohol use.
People who smoke have a higher risk of atherosclerosis and other types of vascular disease, which may be the underlying causes for the increased dementia risk. Studies also have found that drinking large amounts of alcohol appears to increase the risk of dementia.
The current evidence indicates that while chronic stress may play a role in the development or progression of dementia, it does not necessarily cause dementia. Hopefully, further research can begin to uncover what role stress plays in a person's risk of developing dementia.
Cancers, infections, toxins and autoimmune conditions could all cause a fast decline in mental function, as well as the more common neurodegenerative causes of dementia such as Alzheimer's, strokes and Parkinson's disease.
Dementia is more common in people over the age of 65, but in some cases, it can also affect people in their 30s, 40s, or 50s. With treatment and early diagnosis, you may be able to slow down the progression of dementia and maintain mental function for a longer period of time.
Genetic causes of dementia
This is called Familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD). If a parent has a mutated gene that causes FAD, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting it. The presence of the gene means that the person will eventually develop Alzheimer's disease, usually in their 40s or 50s.
It mainly affects people over 65. Above this age, a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease doubles about every five years. One in six people over 80 have dementia – many of them have Alzheimer's disease.
As we age, our brains change, but Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, up to 40% of dementia cases may be prevented or delayed. It helps to understand what's normal and what's not when it comes to brain health.
Introduction: The five-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of aging people and has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with AD.
Stay mentally and socially active. Engaging in mental or social activities may help to build up your brain's ability to cope with disease, relieve stress and improve your mood. This means doing these activities may help to delay, or even prevent, dementia from developing.
Research suggests that those who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of developing dementia. Antioxidants are also found in whole grains, tea (especially green tea), vegetable oils, dark chocolate and red wine (but for good health these last two should be limited).
There is currently no cure for dementia, and current treatments cannot reverse the damage. However, if symptoms arise due to vitamin deficiencies or drug use, there may be options to prevent the condition from progressing.
Treating high blood pressure with medication and healthy lifestyle changes, such as exercising and quitting smoking, may help reduce the risk of dementia. Manage blood sugar.
In 2022, it is estimated that almost 400,000 people in Australia have dementia. The estimated number of men with dementia increases from almost 100,000 in 2010 to over 300,000 in 2058. The estimated number of women with dementia increases from almost 200,000 in 2010 to over 500,000 in 2058.
People who regularly eat a lot of highly processed foods and drinks like cheeseburgers, chips, fried chicken, sausage, pizza, biscuits and sugary sodas are at increased risk of developing dementia, according to a new report.