Alzheimers Dementia, Not just a disease of the elderly

Alzheimer’s disease is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia, known to affect approximately 70% of all people with dementia (Dementia Australia, 2020). Dementia is the second leading cause of death for all Australians and there is currently no cure (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2020; Dementia Australia, 2022). In the absence of a medical breakthrough, the number of people with dementia in Australia is expected to skyrocket to an estimated 1.1 million people by 2058 (Dementia Australia, 2022). Whilst it’s tempting to think, ‘Oh well! Dementia is something I don’t need to think about until I’m old,’ this is not what the research suggests. 

Alzheimer’s disease occurs when abnormal amounts of a protein named Beta Amyloid accumulate, forming plaques outside the brain cell (Dementia Australia, 2017). Inside the brain cell, a different protein named Tau accumulates and forms tangles (Dementia Australia, 2017). This abnormal protein build up both inside and outside the cell blocks signals within the brain, damaging the connection between brain cells (Dementia Australia, 2017). The affected brain cells eventually die and the brain shrinks in size (Dementia Australia, 2017). This process occurs gradually, well before symptoms of dementia are apparent. Even though dementia is more commonly found in older populations, research has shown that processes leading to dementia have likely been present up to 34 years before symptoms occur (Younes et al., 2019). 

A growing body of evidence supports twelve potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia, modelled by the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care (Livingston et al., 2020). These include; “less education, hypertension, hearing impairments, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, low social contact, excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, and air pollution” (Livingston et al., 2020). 

We make decisions every day that contribute to the risk and mitigation of dementia, so it is never too early or too late to make a difference. Research indicates that modifying these risk factors can prevent or delay up to 40% of dementias (Livingston et al., 2020). So be ambitious about prevention, adopt the acronym ‘NEURO’ proposed by Sherzai and Sherzai (2019) to aid in preventing Alzheimer’s; develop good Nutritional habits, Exercise regularly and in ways that you enjoy, Unwind by engaging in proactive/reactive self care and looking after your mental health, get lots of Restorative sleep, and Optimise your lifestyle through engaging mental and social activities. 

For more information on dementia prevention and the NEURO acronym visit: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6732875/ 

Written by Madeline Connors, Nurturing Minds Psychologist