If you are concerned about your memory

The word ‘dementia’ describes a group of symptoms that includes memory loss, difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language, and often changes in mood, perception or behaviour. These changes are usually small to start with, but for someone with dementia, they become bad enough to affect daily life.

Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. It is caused when a disease damages nerve cells in the brain. Nerve cells carry messages between different parts of the brain, and to other parts of the body. As more nerve cells are damaged, the brain becomes less able to work properly. As such, its progressive nature means symptoms may be relatively mild at first but get worse over time as more nerve cells are damaged by the disease.

Dementia can be caused by many different diseases. These diseases affect the brain in different ways, resulting in different types of dementia.

There are four main types of dementia:

• alzheimer’s disease
• vascular dementia
• dementia with lewy bodies (DLB)
• frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

Around 19 out of 20 people with dementia have one of these four main types with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common followed by vascular dementia. However, a person can have mixed dementia where they have symptoms of more than one type.

The symptoms of these types of dementia are often different in the early stages but become more similar in the later stages. This is because each type of dementia affects a different area of the brain at first, then spreads to other parts of the brain as it progresses.

It is not always clear why some people get dementia while others don’t. It can depend on a combination of age, genes, lifestyle and other health conditions.

Most types of dementia are not passed down (inherited) from a parent to a child. There are a few genes that will cause dementia if they are passed from a parent to a child – known as ‘familial’ genes. However, familial genes are rare.

Some things can increase your chances of developing dementia, including:

• high blood pressure
• physical inactivity
• drinking too much alcohol
• smoking
• hearing loss
• diet

However, evidence shows there are things a person can do to reduce their risk of getting dementia, especially if they do them mid-life (aged 40–65).

It is very important for anyone who has regular problems with their memory or thinking to be assessed by a health professional.

If these problems are because of dementia, getting an early diagnosis has many benefits. It gives the person an explanation for their symptoms and access to treatment, as well as advice and support.

Early diagnosis also allows them to prepare for the future and plan ahead.

'This is me' is a simple leaflet for anyone receiving professional care who is living with dementia or experiencing delirium or other communication difficulties.