Sorting acts from ction

evidence to show this actually works,” adds Dr Pickett. “A trial into the relationship between coconut oil and dementia was started in the US, but was cancelled due to lack of participants. Without high-quality research, we can’t be sure that coconut oil is of any benefit.”

FALSE

There is a small body of evidence which suggests that some chemicals found in red wine may be good for the brain, but it’s not clear whether it is beneficial in reducing dementia risk.

What we do know is that drinking too much alcohol regularly can lead to alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). Although this is not specifically a dementia, many of the symptoms, like poor planning and organisational skills, problems with attention and difficulty in controlling emotions, are the same.

TRUE

Women with dementia outnumber men almost two to one and brain cells die a lot faster in women than in men. But it isn’t simply because the female of the species tends to live longer.

“The truth is we don’t fully know why this is the case, but one of the main theories rests with the female hormone, oestrogen,” says Dr Pickett. “It has a protective effect on blood pressure and brain cognition, but during menopause women stop producing as much, which could explain why more women than men currently have dementia.”

FALSE

A curry a day does not keep the doctor away. Curcumin, an extract of turmeric, has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-amyloid (a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease) properties. However, this research was very early stage, and follow-up clinical trials found curcumin didn’t show any promise as a dementia treatment. Most dementias are not passed down through the family, and more than 99% of Alzheimer’s disease cases are not hereditary. Genetic links are more common in rarer types of dementia, like FTD, but this makes up a tiny fraction of all cases.

“About 3% of people develop Alzheimer’s disease before they are 60 and in these instances it most likely due to a faulty gene being passed through the family,” says Dr Pickett.