ON THE COVER Dr Sarah Jarvis
Could It Be Dementia?
Those moments when we forget things tend to get more common as we get older – but that doesn’t necessarily mean dementia.
Dementia affects much more than just memory. It can have an impact on the ability to make judgement calls, your language, levels of confusion and personality. However, memory lapses and getting confused, especially in new
situations, are among the most common early symptoms.
Newer memories tend to be affected first – a loved one may remember their wedding day clearly, but have no idea what they had for breakfast. Usual GP tests include asking them to recall an address and repeat it back, naming common objects, counting back from 100 subtracting 7 each time, repeating simple ve erbal instructions. They’ll T also want to know k if your loved one becomes b disorientated in n new situations, or has h started getting lost.
Your doctor will also a be looking for causes for your loved one’s memory loss. These include: ◆ Depression – symptoms to look out for include feeling down or hopeless, poor sleep or appetite, feeling guilty, getting tearful easily, lack of motivation and not enjoying things they used to take pleasure in. ◆ Physical illness – memory can be affected if someone is acutely unwell (with a chest or urine infection, for instance) and some infections can lead to them becoming suddenly confused. Other conditions, like underactive thyroid, can lead to mental slowing and poor concentration. People with Parkinson’s disease and Down’s syndrome are more likely to develop dementia. ◆ Medication – individual medicines, including strong painkillers, steroid tablets and medicines for Parkinson’s disease can cause confusion and memory problems in some people. In addition, interactions between different drugs can have the same effect. If in doubt, check with your pharmacist. ◆ Stress and anxiety – these can lead to people being distracted, which means they may not remember everyday events as well. ◆ Heart disease risk factors – high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, smoking and being overweight all increase the chance of a heart attack. But they’re also risk factors for the second most common type of dementia (after Alzheimer’s). ◆ Excess alcohol – this can cause brain shrinkage and
THERE’S SOME EVIDENCE THAT A REGULAR CUP OR TWO OF COFFEE MIGHT HELP STAVE OFF MEMORY LOSS
dementia. It’s important to stick within the Government recommended upper levels of 14 units a week for men and women, spread over several days and with at least a couple of alcohol-free days a week.
It’s not always possible to avoid dementia, but you can certainly stack the odds in your favour. The second most common type, called vascular dementia, is caused by multiple tiny strokes. Each one is so small you may not notice it, but with each one more brain tissue is destroyed. The risk factors for vascular dementia are the same as for heart attack and stroke – in particular, raised cholesterol/ blood pressure and smoking.
Getting your levels checked and taking medicine regularly if advised can dramatically reduce your risk. Exercising regularly, adopting a heart
healthy Mediterranean-style diet, avoiding smoking and keeping your alcohol intake down will all help. Reducing salt intake – seasoning with herbs and spices, using a reduced sodium alternative to table salt – is an easy way to make a difference. In fact, with all your risk factors controlled you can cut your risk of dementia by a whopping 50%.
Keeping your brain active is also important – “use it or lose it” really does apply to your brain cells. Regular puzzles, taking up evening classes, and learning new skills all help. So does social interaction. Hearing loss can lead to social isolation and even memory decline, so if you’re struggling with hearing and haven’t been checked to see if you’d benefit from hearing aids, don’t delay. NEXT WEEK: How to lower high cholesterol