How to Treat Dementia No Matter What Age You Are – DISCOVER Magazine

Search the term preventing dementia online, and a list of possible precautions pop up. One story describesa new studythat finds older Americans who used the Internet but not too much have a lower risk of dementia. Other stories suggest that taking vitamin D, getting a good nights sleep or learning a second language are key to combating dementia.

Scientists dont fully understand what causes dementia, a degenerative neurological condition that impacts memory, speech and basic functioning. But they do know thatas many as 40 percentof cases could be slowed or prevented by making certain lifestyle changes.

In 2020,The LancetCommission on Dementia identified 12 risk factors. Although some of these factors, like air pollution, are out of a persons control, there are many lifestyle changes a person can make to reduce their risk. Problematically,studies find that mostpeople arent aware of the risk factors and what they can do to protect themselves.

As more people live longer, the threat of developing this condition increases. By 2050, an estimated 135 million peoplewill be living with dementia. The bulk of these diagnoses, about 71 percent, will come from lower and middle-income countries where education and healthcare are more limited.

Scientists have learned that preventing dementia is a lifelong process that begins in childhood with access to education.The LancetCommission identified not having an educationbeyond age 12as an important risk factor.

Lack of education is a widespread problem as many people worldwide cannot read or have a limited education.About 14 percentof the worlds population aged 15 and over are illiterate, and although younger generations are becoming more literate, young girls are less educated than their male peers.

Literacy is increasing, but access to education past age 12 is not. Dropout rates were made worse during the COVID-19 pandemic whenmore older children left school, particularly girls.

Reading and engaging in intellectual challenges can reduce a persons risk for dementia later in life. Scientists believe education helps build apersons cognitive reserve, allowing the brain to endure neuropathology. A stronger cognitive reserve can mean a persons dementia is less noticeable or progresses more slowly.

Maintaining a cognitive reserve starts early in life but has to be worked at over the years. This is why studies suggest a person who challenges themselves mentally through puzzles or language learning could stave it off.

Social ties are also a way to maintain a persons cognitive reserve.The LancetCommission noted that hearing loss typically begins in middle age (after age 45) and can threaten a persons interest in socializing and, in turn, minimize their cognitive reserve but more on that later.

During the middle years, a person can also start to develop other dementia risk factors related to vascular brain damage. Having diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity all create the potential for vascular brain damage. Similarly, smoking and drinking alcohol excessively also risk brain damage associated with the condition.

The Lancetcategorized the above conditions asmodifiable factorsthat could be changed through interventions. Exercising, eating aMediterranean diet, getting hearing aids if needed, managing cholesterol and hypertension, drinking in moderation and not smoking can all help reduce or prevent dementia.

There were other identified risk factors. However, the commission identified that a person could likely not control, including head injury and vascular damage from air pollution.

As people enter later life (after age 65), dwindling social contact and depression can be painful risk factors for dementia. Researchers havelinked social isolationto a decline in cardiovascular health and an increase in depression and dementia.

Social isolation increases a persons risk for dementia because it limits how they engage with others and maintain their cognitive reserve. Similarly, as mentioned above, hearing loss can also stop older adults from socializing or challenging themselves mentally.About one-thirdof U.S. adults have hearing loss, which makes it difficult for them to speak on the phone, follow conversations or enjoy listening to the TV or radio.Only about one-fifthof older adults with hearing loss actually have a pair of hearing aids.

Interventions like hearing aids, exercise and community-supported social events can help older people get the socialization they need to maintain their cognitive reserve and fend off dementia. Such interventions demonstrate how managing modifiable factors is a lifelong need that follows a person from their earliest to their oldest years.