People of any age are being urged to try an online check-up tool and take steps to look after their brains to reduce their risk of developing dementia. Alzheimer's Research UK's new check-up tool asks people about their “brain healthy behaviours” and offers tips on staying sharp, keeping active and connecting with others - you can try it here.
Most cases of dementia cannot be prevented but early detection is important in helping people to live with the condition. This is why so much effort is being put into looking for new treatments.
Research suggests there are 12 risk factors for dementia which, if modified, can prevent four in 10 people developing memory loss, confusion and communication problems. People are advised that they will reduce their chances of developing dementia if they stop smoking, do regular exercise, cut back on alcohol and challenge their brain – and experts say it is never too early or too late to start making these lifestyle changes.
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Alzheimer's Research UK's brain check is based on the latest research and aims to help people find out how they can lower their individual chances of getting dementia. It can be taken by anyone but is particularly aimed at those aged 40-50 as this is seen as an important window for taking action on brain health.
Prof Jonathan Schott, chief medical officer at the charity, said it would "provide a practical and easy means to allow people to take action to reduce their risk of dementia". But he said that only a third of people realise it is possible to reduce their chance of developing the condition and that that needed to change.
Dementia affects nearly a million people in the UK, and 55 million worldwide, with Alzheimer's being the most common cause. The number of people with it is expected to rise sharply in the coming decades as people live longer and their risk of dementia increases as they get older.
People are advised to get their hearing checked regularly in their 40s and 50s to prevent social isolation. Dr Sarah Bauermeister, senior scientist at Dementia Platforms UK, said several studies had found a link between hearing loss and dementia risk.
"Why is not clear," she said, "but a probable factor is they are working harder to hear conversations rather than focusing on cognitive tasks - and their world shrinks."
The risk of someone developing dementia is based on a combination of age, the genes they inherit, and their lifestyle. Most of those things cannot be changed, which is why 60% of dementia cases are seen as unpreventable.
This is why experts stress that it is important not to blame people for getting dementia. But the brain check-up tool can be helpful in identifying lifestyle changes that may reduce someone's risk.
Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "With 40% of dementia cases potentially being preventable, there's an enormous opportunity to reduce the personal and societal impact of this heart-breaking condition.
"It's time for the nation to wake up to the idea of brain health and how looking after our brains can reduce the risk of dementia."
A drug called lacanemab has recently shown promise in slowing the decline of the brain in people with Alzheimer's.
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