Dementia Does Not Equal Old Age! What Can We Do Before Losing Mental Function?

Cognitive decline known as dementia involves the weakening of mental functions and abilities. However, dementia is not a specific disease. It covers a wide range of symptoms related to a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to impair a person’s ability to perform everyday activities; it is a general term describing these symptoms.

More than half of dementia cases (60-80%) are accounted for by Alzheimer’s disease . Following a stroke, the condition called vascular dementiais the second most common type. However, there are many other conditions, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies , that can cause dementia symptoms. Dementia is often incorrectly called “aging” or “senility.” The widespread belief that this severe mental decline is a normal part of aging is mistaken.

Dementia is one of the most challenging global conditions for health and social care in the 21st century. Approximately 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and this number is expected to triple by 2050.

It must be emphasized again that dementia is not an inevitable consequence of aging . The graphic below shows 9 health and lifestyle factors associated with dementia; eliminating them may prevent it. Although therapies to cure established dementia are not yet available, interventions that may help manage its symptoms or prevent it are presented below.