• Question: why do people get dementia earlier?

    Asked by maryam.m_2003 to Ria, Rachel on 7 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Rachel Harris

      Rachel Harris answered on 7 Nov 2016:

      This is a good question and it’s one that researchers (like me!) are still trying to find an answer to.
      We know that a very small percentage of people with dementia have a genetic mutation which causes Alzheimer’s disease (the most common form of dementia).
      Except for this small group, we’re not sure exactly why anyone gets the disease and why they may develop it earlier. There are risk factors which increase your chance of developing the condition, but don’t guarantee you’ll get it. These include genetics and anything that’s bad for your heart (obesity, smoking, poorly balanced diet, lack of exercise).

    • Photo: Ria Vaportzis

      Ria Vaportzis answered on 7 Nov 2016:

      We don’t know the answer to this question yet. The reason people get dementia depends on their lifestyle (sleep, diet, exercise etc) but also on their genes (family history). If someone has a family history of dementia, and they make poor lifestyle choices, they may be more prone to get dementia earlier. Having said that, I’ve come across people who didn’t have family history of dementia and lived quite healthy lives, but still got dementia at an early age.

Comments