REDUCE YOUR RISK OF DEMENTIA
People no longer fear cancer in the way that they did. It is still better to escape the disease of course but it is now clear that the risk of cancer can be reduced, and there is an array of effective treatments, including curative treatments. Cancer therefore is no longer the disease that is most feared and its place has now been taken by dementia but we have to define what we mean by dementia.
Firstly, dementia is not accelerated normal ageing. Changes do take place in the functioning of the brain for example, short term memory problems and poor rapid decision making, but these are not signs of dementia and there are solutions for these little problems. The term MCI, Mild Cognitive Improvement, is sometimes used but many scientists now find this confusing and find it more helpful to think of a person either having dementia or not having dementia, but dementia itself is not a single entity.
Dementia is a condition in which a person faces obstacles in daily life, for example in finding the way home if out for a walk, or in managing money and household affairs, but dementia is caused by a number of different conditions of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and best known. Alzheimer’s disease is actually a number of different pathological conditions which all have the effect of creating damage to the brain tissue which affects the way the mind works and at present there is not any means of preventing Alzheimer’s disease or of treating it when it does occur.
However, Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for about only two thirds of cases of dementia which means therefore that about a third of cases are preventable, namely you can reduce your risk by a third, at least. In fact, the most recent prediction by the global Commission on Dementia organised by the Lancet in 2024 is that the risk might be able to be reduced by at one half.
There are three principal means of reducing the risk of dementia.
Firstly it is important to protect the brain tissue itself, for example from head injury or overuse of drugs and alcohol or from sleep problems and perhaps from the effects of infection and inflammation.
Secondly damage is caused by disease of the arteries called atherosclerosis, the same disease that causes heart disease and stroke but in this case there are multiple small bleeds into the brain which do not cause paralysis but which cumulatively and significantly affect the person’s intellectual ability.
Thirdly there is isolation and lack of challenge and it is now clear that the effects of ageing have been greatly overemphasised focusing on, as noted earlier, relatively unimportant problems like short term memory recall. It is now clear that at any age the brain can form new circuits and can learn new skills and techniques due to a capacity called neuroplasticity in which new networks develop. This means that isolation, deafness, vision problems and a lack of contact and meaningful work all increase the risk of dementia.
All these factors can be influenced and your risk of dementia can be reduced.
LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST
People no longer fear cancer in the way that they did. It is still better to escape the disease of course but it is now clear that the risk of cancer can be reduced, and there is an array of effective treatments, including curative treatments. Cancer therefore is no longer the disease that is most feared and its place has now been taken by dementia but we have to define what we mean by dementia.
Firstly, dementia is not accelerated normal ageing. Changes do take place in the functioning of the brain for example, short term memory problems and poor rapid decision making, but these are not signs of dementia and there are solutions for these little problems. The term MCI, Mild Cognitive Improvement, is sometimes used but many scientists now find this confusing and find it more helpful to think of a person either having dementia or not having dementia, but dementia itself is not a single entity.
Dementia is a condition in which a person faces obstacles in daily life, for example in finding the way home if out for a walk, or in managing money and household affairs, but dementia is caused by a number of different conditions of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and best known. Alzheimer’s disease is actually a number of different pathological conditions which all have the effect of creating damage to the brain tissue which affects the way the mind works and at present there is not any means of preventing Alzheimer’s disease or of treating it when it does occur.
However, Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for about only two thirds of cases of dementia which means therefore that about a third of cases are preventable, namely you can reduce your risk by a third, at least. In fact, the most recent prediction by the global Commission on Dementia organised by the Lancet in 2024 is that the risk might be able to be reduced by at one half.
There are three principal means of reducing the risk of dementia.
Firstly it is important to protect the brain tissue itself, for example from head injury or overuse of drugs and alcohol or from sleep problems and perhaps from the effects of infection and inflammation.
Secondly damage is caused by disease of the arteries called atherosclerosis, the same disease that causes heart disease and stroke but in this case there are multiple small bleeds into the brain which do not cause paralysis but which cumulatively and significantly affect the person’s intellectual ability.
Thirdly there is isolation and lack of challenge and it is now clear that the effects of ageing have been greatly overemphasised focusing on, as noted earlier, relatively unimportant problems like short term memory recall. It is now clear that at any age the brain can form new circuits and can learn new skills and techniques due to a capacity called neuroplasticity in which new networks develop. This means that isolation, deafness, vision problems and a lack of contact and meaningful work all increase the risk of dementia.
All these factors can be influenced and your risk of dementia can be reduced.
Points for Reflection after listening and reading; if you are working through these podcasts with a group ask people to turn to their neighbour and discuss these points or allocate them to a Zoom room if you are online
Put something in the prevention box of the Oxford Longevity Plan specifically about what you are planning to do to reduce your risk of dementia
People no longer fear cancer in the way that they did. It is still better to escape the disease of course but it is now clear that the risk of cancer can be reduced, and there is an array of effective treatments, including curative treatments. Cancer therefore is no longer the disease that is most feared and its place has now been taken by dementia but we have to define what we mean by dementia.
Firstly, dementia is not accelerated normal ageing. Changes do take place in the functioning of the brain for example, short term memory problems and poor rapid decision making, but these are not signs of dementia and there are solutions for these little problems. The term MCI, Mild Cognitive Improvement, is sometimes used but many scientists now find this confusing and find it more helpful to think of a person either having dementia or not having dementia, but dementia itself is not a single entity.
Dementia is a condition in which a person faces obstacles in daily life, for example in finding the way home if out for a walk, or in managing money and household affairs, but dementia is caused by a number of different conditions of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and best known. Alzheimer’s disease is actually a number of different pathological conditions which all have the effect of creating damage to the brain tissue which affects the way the mind works and at present there is not any means of preventing Alzheimer’s disease or of treating it when it does occur.
However, Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for about only two thirds of cases of dementia which means therefore that about a third of cases are preventable, namely you can reduce your risk by a third, at least. In fact, the most recent prediction by the global Commission on Dementia organised by the Lancet in 2024 is that the risk might be able to be reduced by at one half.
There are three principal means of reducing the risk of dementia.
Firstly it is important to protect the brain tissue itself, for example from head injury or overuse of drugs and alcohol or from sleep problems and perhaps from the effects of infection and inflammation.
Secondly damage is caused by disease of the arteries called atherosclerosis, the same disease that causes heart disease and stroke but in this case there are multiple small bleeds into the brain which do not cause paralysis but which cumulatively and significantly affect the person’s intellectual ability.
Thirdly there is isolation and lack of challenge and it is now clear that the effects of ageing have been greatly overemphasised focusing on, as noted earlier, relatively unimportant problems like short term memory recall. It is now clear that at any age the brain can form new circuits and can learn new skills and techniques due to a capacity called neuroplasticity in which new networks develop. This means that isolation, deafness, vision problems and a lack of contact and meaningful work all increase the risk of dementia.
All these factors can be influenced and your risk of dementia can be reduced.
LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST
People no longer fear cancer in the way that they did. It is still better to escape the disease of course but it is now clear that the risk of cancer can be reduced, and there is an array of effective treatments, including curative treatments. Cancer therefore is no longer the disease that is most feared and its place has now been taken by dementia but we have to define what we mean by dementia.
Firstly, dementia is not accelerated normal ageing. Changes do take place in the functioning of the brain for example, short term memory problems and poor rapid decision making, but these are not signs of dementia and there are solutions for these little problems. The term MCI, Mild Cognitive Improvement, is sometimes used but many scientists now find this confusing and find it more helpful to think of a person either having dementia or not having dementia, but dementia itself is not a single entity.
Dementia is a condition in which a person faces obstacles in daily life, for example in finding the way home if out for a walk, or in managing money and household affairs, but dementia is caused by a number of different conditions of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and best known. Alzheimer’s disease is actually a number of different pathological conditions which all have the effect of creating damage to the brain tissue which affects the way the mind works and at present there is not any means of preventing Alzheimer’s disease or of treating it when it does occur.
However, Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for about only two thirds of cases of dementia which means therefore that about a third of cases are preventable, namely you can reduce your risk by a third, at least. In fact, the most recent prediction by the global Commission on Dementia organised by the Lancet in 2024 is that the risk might be able to be reduced by at one half.
There are three principal means of reducing the risk of dementia.
Firstly it is important to protect the brain tissue itself, for example from head injury or overuse of drugs and alcohol or from sleep problems and perhaps from the effects of infection and inflammation.
Secondly damage is caused by disease of the arteries called atherosclerosis, the same disease that causes heart disease and stroke but in this case there are multiple small bleeds into the brain which do not cause paralysis but which cumulatively and significantly affect the person’s intellectual ability.
Thirdly there is isolation and lack of challenge and it is now clear that the effects of ageing have been greatly overemphasised focusing on, as noted earlier, relatively unimportant problems like short term memory recall. It is now clear that at any age the brain can form new circuits and can learn new skills and techniques due to a capacity called neuroplasticity in which new networks develop. This means that isolation, deafness, vision problems and a lack of contact and meaningful work all increase the risk of dementia.
All these factors can be influenced and your risk of dementia can be reduced.
Points for Reflection after listening and reading; if you are working through these podcasts with a group ask people to turn to their neighbour and discuss these points or allocate them to a Zoom room if you are online
- Of the three types of risk factor, those which affect the brain tissue, those which affect the blood and oxygen supply and those which come from the amount of social interaction you have which is the most important?
- How would you best explain to others the relationship between dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease?
Put something in the prevention box of the Oxford Longevity Plan specifically about what you are planning to do to reduce your risk of dementia