Dementia
A progressive decline in memory and other cognitive functions that makes everyday functioning harder.
Dementia is a set of symptoms resulting from progressive damage to the brain, in which memory, thinking, orientation, understanding, the ability to learn and judgement decline. The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease, but dementia can also have a vascular or other basis. The early symptoms can be subtle — forgetting recent events, difficulty finding words, getting lost in familiar places, and changes in mood and behaviour.
Dementia is mainly age-related: it affects a small proportion of people before the age of 65, and its frequency rises clearly over the following decades of life. As the symptoms grow, it increasingly limits independence and affects family members and carers as well.
Early diagnosis matters a great deal: it makes it possible to rule out reversible causes of memory problems, to start treatment that slows the progress of the symptoms, and to plan support for the patient and the family. At the clinic we carry out the assessment and advise on the next steps.
Physical and mental activity, social contact, a healthy diet and good sleep all benefit brain health, as does controlling cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Support and rest for carers matter too.