Is dementia inevitable?

While the speed at which the human brain processes information will naturally slow with age, dementia is not an inevitable part of the ageing process. Every individual will experience the symptoms of dementia in different ways, but it remains an unfortunate and incurable condition.

As we all know, ageing is an unstoppable ongoing process and it can cause a variety of different physiological changes to our bodies. These changes can begin to limit our ability to adapt to the changing world around us, and in our later years this makes us vulnerable and frail.

Memory lapses can happen at any time, even from a young age. They are often referred to as 'senior moments' as we struggle to remember if we left that window open or where we parked the car. As we age, the ability of our brain to remember becomes weaker and therefore we are more prone to these moments of memory loss.

While these short periods of forgetfulness are part of getting older, dementia is an entirely different condition. People with dementia will suffer extended memory loss, becoming increasingly reliant on others for their care and wellbeing. Ultimately, an individual living with dementia may need help with basic daily tasks.

There is currently no treatment or cure for this type of mental degeneration, but scientists are beginning to understand the reasons behind dementia and how to treat it effectively. By 2025, it is estimated that there will be over 1 million people living with dementia, and so there is more pressure than ever to find a cure.