D
espite us being at a far
greater threat of developing
cancer (one in two) or at
risk of dying from a heart
attack or stroke (four in five), dementia
is the most feared condition in the UK*.
A study run by Alzheimer’s Society
found that almost two thirds of people
surveyed (62%) felt a diagnosis would
mean their life was over.
Numbers are on the rise – with
Alzheimer's disease and other types
of dementia now affecting one in
every 14 people over the age of 65.
And cases are expected to increase,
with over one million people forecast
to be affected by 2030. But a diagnosis
doesn’t mean a death sentence.
It’s time to bring some clarity to
the condition, as these experts reveal
the signs, treatments and possible
ways to prevent it.
Dementia vs
Alzheimer’s
Confused about the terminology?
‘Dementia’ describes a set of
symptoms, including memory loss
and difficulties with language
and problem-solving. It’s caused
when the brain is damaged by
disease – and Alzheimer’s is
the most common cause. With
Alzheimer’s, proteins build up
in the brain, forming structures
called plaques and tangles that
interfere with connections
between nerve cells, leading
to their death. Protein build-up
also causes a loss of chemical
messengers in the brain.HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
CAUSES ALZHEIMER’S
Unhealthy blood pressure levels have
been known to cause vascular
dementia – when blood vessels
supplying the brain become blocked
or narrowed. ‘Those whose systolic
blood pressure topped 130mmHg or
more were 45% more likely to go on
to develop dementia than those with
a lower systolic reading,’ explains Dr
Sarah Brewer, author of Overcoming
High Blood Pressure.
A study published in Neurology also
suggests that high blood pressure
could be a factor in Alzheimer’s disease.‘Researchers found that those with
hypertension (high blood pressure)
had a higher number of lesions inside
the brain, and areas of tissue had
died due to lack of blood supply.’
However, the jury’s out on whether
hypertension causes Alzheimer’s
disease or if it simply increases our
risk. Either way, it’s a good idea to
keep track of yours at least once
a year if you’re over the age of 40.
‘If the reading is 140/90mmHg of
higher, ask your doctor for advice
on managing it,’ adds Dr Brewer.Behind the headlines
Is there any truth in these stories? If so, how much?POOR SLEEP RAISES
ALZHEIMER’S RISK
‘There’s been some research showing
lack of sleep over time can contribute,
although we don’t know exactly why
this is,’ says Dr Doug Brown, former
chief policy and research officer at
the Alzheimer’s Society. ‘What we do
know is that during sleep, your brain
goes into repair mode and clears out
toxins, making the brain fresh again.
If you sleep less, you trigger the
repair mechanism less often, which
leads to faster cognitive decline,and that can lead to a slightly
increased risk of dementia.’
So make sure you get a proper
night’s kip – at least seven hours. And
what about research linking sleeping
pills with dementia? ‘Evidence suggests
if people are on these medicines for
more than three years there may be a
slight increased risk, though we don’t
know why,’ says Dr Brown. ‘But we
wouldn’t suggest stopping them.
Speak to your GP if you’re concerned.’BIGGER BELLIES
TRIGGER DEMENTIA
‘Emerging evidence from Trinity
College Dublin suggests obesity and
where we deposit our excess weight
could influence our brain health,’ says
study senior author Conal Cunningham.
Researchers say our waist-to-hip
ratio, rather than our BMI, can be
an indicator of your chances for
developing dementia. This is because
deeper belly fat, also known as visceral
fat, is the real danger. It accumulates
around our internal organs, such asour pancreas, heart and liver, and,
thanks to the hormones it secretes,
it’s been strongly linked to serious
conditions, such as cancer and heart
disease, and now we think it might be
causing problems for our brains too.
The Irish researchers believe this
is because high levels of belly fat
secrete raising levels of inflammatory
chemicals into the blood, which
damage brain health and can increase
the chance of a dementia diagnosis.DEMENTIA HEALTH