According to the World Health Organisation, Currently, more than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide; this number is expected to rise to 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. There are nearly 10 million new cases every year.
Here is a brief guide to the main types of dementia:
- Alzheimer’s disease: the most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer’s first affects short-term memory.
- Vascular dementia: the second most common type of dementia, it is caused by a reduced blood flow to the brain.
- Lewy body dementia (DLB): the Alzheimer’s Society UK says that DLB accounts for up to 20% of all dementia. Common symptoms include memory loss, visual hallucinations, movement difficulties, and disturbed sleep.
- Dementia in Parkinson’s disease: patients with Parkinson’s disease have a higher-than-average risk of developing dementia. This accounts for 2% of all UK dementia cases.
- Frontotemporal dementia (FTD): one of the less common types, sometimes called Pick’s disease or frontal lobe dementia. FTD affects two main areas: personality/behaviour and language.
- Young-onset dementia: if you develop dementia under age 65, this is ‘young-onset dementia’. It affects more than 42.000 people in the UK.
- Pseudodementia: also known as depression-related cognitive dysfunction, is a condition where the cognitive function can be temporarily decreased and reversible on antidepressant treatment.
Worldwide around 55 million people have dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year (WHO Dementia Factsheet).
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are an estimated 900,000 people with dementia in the UK, and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Dementia has become a significant health concern among older people, with prevalence rates estimated at 7.1% in those over 65, according to the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Dementia is a group of related symptoms characterised by a progressive decline of brain function with age. It affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, problem-solving, motivation, mood, sleep, personality and behaviour.
There are different types of dementia, and a correct diagnosis helps both families and professionals to provide the right care and support. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease which accounts for about 60-70% of the cases. Vascular dementia is the second most common type and is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. Sufferers with both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia have what is known as mixed dementia.
The risk of dementia increases with age, but some people develop symptoms before the age of 65, which is known as young-onset dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are 42.000 people in the UK living with young-onset dementia.
Who gets dementia?
Dementia is most common in those aged over 65. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, one in 14 people in this age group have dementia. While the chances of developing dementia rise significantly with age, memory loss and dementia can also affect younger people.
When someone you love develops dementia, it is natural to wonder, “Why them?”. Unfortunately, there is no cure for dementia yet, but it is well known that we can identify specific risk factors to modify to prevent dementia.
Ready to book your appointment?
There are a couple of ways you can book your Memory Assessment.
- You can call our friendly and knowledgeable patient services department, who will be happy to book a date and time that suits you on 0330 124 1980. There are very short waiting times, and we do not need a referral from your GP.
- You can complete a our contact form and someone from our team will contact you to book via email if you prefer. Please ensure you choose Memory/Dementia from the list of available treatments.