CAN YOU INHERIT DEMENTIA?
Her inbox is full of questions about it. Our GP answers the most common
WHEN we think of dementia, we think of memory loss, but that’s vastly oversimplifying it. For a start, most people have heard of Alzheimer’s, but there are other types of dementia too.
They can affect reading and writing, movement, and even the ability to follow a conversation. There can also be changes in behaviour, mood and attitude. As Lynne Wallis’s story about her mother shows, dementia can completely transform a person.
That makes it a challenge for doctors to diagnose, especially early on. There is no cure, and very few ways to reliably slow the inevitable march of these illnesses.
All these things combined can leave patients and their families feeling even more confused. But that doesn’t mean that modern medicine can’t help — in fact, quite the opposite. With this in mind, here, I try to answer some of your vital questions about dementia.
I’VE been worried about my 68year-old mother for a while, as she has not seemed herself — she was even caught shoplifting, which is so out of character. We’re concerned about dementia, but the results of a memory test came back normal so the doctor said there is nothing wrong. But I know there is.
MEMORY loss is just one aspect of dementia. These diseases can cause changes in personality too.
For the most common types of dementia such as Alzheimer’s, memory loss often comes first, then the behavioural changes happen later. But about five per cent of people with dementia will have something called frontotemporal dementia. The first and most prominent features are behavioural: loss of inhibitions, change in likes and dislikes, inappropriate social behaviour and unusual rituals. The memory loss comes later.
Symptoms like the ones described here should be discussed with her GP, along with any history of depression or ministrokes. More testing and a brain scan — an MRI —are likely to be needed.
MY 67-year-old wife was diagnosed two years ago with dementia. She used to be relatively active, but now rarely leaves the house. Having read that exercise is good for dementia, I’ve tried suggesting walks but she refuses. What else would you suggest?
EXERCISE is really important: it reduces isolation, boosts confidence and bone strength, and may even improve the memory and slow decline. It is worth exploring what is available in your area — for example, t’ai chi or specific classes for older people. Your local library is a good resource to find out what is available. Gardening is an option as that involves exercise and safe movements. And exercise can be done without leaving the house — use her favourite music to get her up dancing a little each day. The Alzheimer’s Society (alzheimer.ie) has good information on day-to-day care.
REDUCE RISK
Left untreated, hearing loss is thought to increase the chances of developing dementia
MY father is being seen at a memory clinic. No one has said ‘dementia’, but I think that’s what he has. Would I have been told if it was?
WE refer patients to memory clinics for diagnosis of dementia, as well as treatment. If dementia isn’t suspected, staff usually discharge patients. Some patients do have memory changes caused by treatable conditions such as a Vitamin B12 deficiency. That said, dementia isn’t an easy diagnosis to make. Establishing which dementia a patient has (there are six main types) can take time as scan results come back. Until staff have all the information they will not pinpoint the diagnosis or use the word ‘dementia’. You should be told this, but if you are not, you must ask so you have all the information.
MY father died with dementia. Having witnessed first-hand how challenging the condition can be, I’m worried that I may get it too when I’m older. Can dementia be inherited, and can I be tested to see if I’ll get it?
GENETICS have only a small role to play in dementia. Most people who develop Alzheimer’s do not have any known genetic mutation. There are a small group of people who develop Alzheimer’s
at a younger age, and this can be genetic and run in families.
But for most of us, it’s not just genes but a combination of risk factors. Diabetes and smoking appear to increase the risks, as do a lack of exercise and loneliness.
MY husband was diagnosed with dementia earlier this year and I’m too afraid to ask his specialist how long he has left.
THIS is a very difficult question to answer. On average, people with dementia usually live for between three and nine years after diagnosis. There is a huge range because there are many different types of dementia and, of course, it depends on background health.
At the early stages, planning is important: financial, care and health. This would include registering power of attorney and a living will. A solicitor will be able to help you with these.