FACTS ABOUT DEMENTIA

One in three people will get dementia

Around a million people in the UK are expected to be affected by 2020

The World Health Organisation expects the number with dementia to nearly double every 20 years

Symptoms include problems with memory loss, speed of thinking and understanding, and can cause people to have difficulty controlling their emotions

Dementia is caused by damage to the brain, most often by a neurodegenerative disease

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is caused by a loss of brain cells, causing the brain to shrink

A brain scan is often used to diagnose the condition, although a lumbar puncture and, in some cases, an operation to remove part of the brain tissue for testing may take place

The Government wants to recruit a million “dementia friends”, who will be educated about the condition to improve their understanding, by 2015

The first G8 summit on dementia will be held this year with experts from across the world discussing how best to treat the condition

Most types of dementia cannot be cured, but when it has been caused by vitamin and thyroid deficiencies it can be treated with supplements

Source: Daily Telegraph