What Are The Main Causes of Dementia?
Forgetful? Losing your train of thought? Can’t quite get the words out?
Most will boil this down to signs of age.
The unfortunate truth is, these seemingly frivolous issues can often be attributed to something much more worrisome.
Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease?
Dementia is a syndrome that has a number of causes.
The common characteristic symptoms of Dementia are generally associated with difficulties in memory language, problem-solving and other cognitive skills that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.
These difficulties occur when the nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain involved in cognitive function, have been damaged.
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of Dementia, is a degenerative brain disease, in which neurons in other parts of the brain are eventually damaged or destroyed, including those that enable a person to carry out basic bodily functions such as walking and swallowing.
People in the final stages of the disease are bed-bound and require around-the-clock care.
Unfortunately, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are ultimately fatal, as today, no cure exists for any of these conditions.
What actually causes Dementia?
The two main causes of Dementia in older persons, being Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which accounts for about 70% of cases, and Vascular Dementia (with many mixed forms).
Alzheimer’s is characterized by the presence of abnormal structures within the brain which are believed to damage and kill nerve cells.
These abnormal structures are thought to play a critical role in blocking communication among nerve cells and disrupting processes that these cells normally perform.
Certain individuals with a strong family history of Dementia may be carriers of genetic mutations (in the APOE4 allele) which predispose them to the earlier onset and more rapid progression.
Vascular Dementia occurs when vessels that supply blood to the brain become blocked or narrowed, whereas a “stroke”, takes place when the supply of blood carrying oxygen to the brain is suddenly cut off.
Vascular Dementia can occur over time as “silent” mini-strokes pile up.
With the exception of Alzheimer’s caused by genetic mutations; experts believe that Alzheimer’s, like other common chronic diseases, develops as a result of multiple factors rather than a single cause.
Generally speaking, identified risk factors for dementia include depression, diabetes, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, renal dysfunction, and low unsaturated fat intake.
What can be done?
For every downside, there is an equally opportunistic upside.
If you think you may be at risk of onset Dementia, many preventative measures are also available.
These include physical activity, brain-healthy nutrition, supplements, stress and sleep management, cognitive stimulation (AKA “brain gym”), correcting hypertension and curbing unhealthy habits like smoking and alcohol.
So you see, something as simple as modifying your diet and exercise regime could not only save your life but save the person you are!
If you believe you may be at risk for Dementia or a related disease and want to know how you could PREVENT having any of these diseases, you owe it to yourself to take action now!
We discuss many different hints, tips, and strategies that you can apply to your daily life and habits here in our blogs and videos.
See below for a few examples.
- Healthy Bodies Make Healthy Minds
- How Iron and B Vitamins Improve Brain Activity
- The Great Benefits Of Yoga
- 5 Steps To Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
- Cognitive Decline: Can It Be Prevented? – VIDEO
If you’d prefer to invest your time into something much more tailored and personalized to suit your requirements, take a look at our ProtectMyBrain Program.
Click HERE to find out if our ProtectMyBrain Dementia Prevention Program is right for you
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Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.