How to lower the risk of getting dementia

The condition isn’t an inevitable part of ageing and there are several things you can do to reduce the chance of developing it.

- By CAMILLA FOSTER

CONNECTION: Regular catch-ups with friends or family can help

NEW research suggests that the menopause is linked to a loss of grey matter in the brain, which may help explain why women are more likely to suffer dementia than men.

Experts from the University of Cambridge discovered the link after carrying out a study on 124,780 women to examine the effects of menopause on the brain and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) plays a role in preventing cognitive decline.

In light of the findings, Emma Taylor, information services manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, tells us if there is anything we can all do to lower our risk of dementia.

Is dementia preventable?

“Research [from the Lancet Commission] suggests that up to 45% of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed through lifestyle changes and by removing 14 risk factors that we might be able to influence,” says Emma.

What risk factors can't we control?

Age is widely considered the biggest risk factor for dementia, and is something we are unfortunately unable to control.

“The older we are, the more likely we are to develop a disease that causes dementia, like Alzheimer’s,” says Emma. “One of the main reasons why age is such a big factor is that the diseases that cause dementia tend to take a long time to develop. In addition, our bodies naturally become a bit more vulnerable to damage as we age.”

Specific genes can also play a role.

“Although only around 1% of dementia cases are directly inherited, some people do have risk genes, such as APOE4, which can increase their risk of developing dementia, but doesn't necessarily guarantee that we will get it,” explains Emma.

Here are some ways to reduce your risk of dementia which align with these three pillars...

Stay connected: “Research suggests that social isolation is linked to an increased risk of dementia,” says Emma.