Dementia

The World Health Organization’s damning verdict lays bare the reality of the situation facing the estimated 55 million people globally living with the condition - a number predicted to rise to 78 million by 2030 and 139 million 20 years later. 

There are many things to consider when finding the right home for someone living with dementia. It needs to be the right choice for both the individual and their close family and friends. Things such as one-to-one support, specialist requirements and staffing should be taken into consideration, as well as the overall environment in which the person will be living.   Many specialist buildings, like care homes, are now being designed with dementia in mind, but even spaces that are not purpose built can be adapted to better the lives of those living with dementia. Considerations can include anything from new technologies and innovations to simple tweaks like rearranging furniture or adjusting colours and lighting.  There are many symptoms of dementia that can make completing everyday tasks confusing or frightening for those living with it. Designing a space that is dementia-friendly helps those living with dementia to maintain their independence for as long as possible, reduces stress and anxiety and significantly improves day-to-day mental wellbeing. 

People with mentally stimulating jobs have a lower risk of dementia in old age than those with non-stimulating jobs, a new international study has found. The large multi-cohort study suggests one possible explanation is that cognitive stimulation is linked to lower levels of certain proteins that may prevent brain cells forming new connections (processes called axonogenesis and synaptogenesis). Explaining the research, lead author Professor Mika Kivimaki, of UCL Epidemiology & Health, said: “Cognitive stimulation is assumed to prevent or postpone the onset of dementia, but trial results have varied and most recent long-term studies have suggested that leisure time cognitive activity does not reduce risk of dementia. "Exposure to cognitive stimulation at work typically lasts considerably longer than cognitively stimulating hobbies, yet work-based studies have also failed to produce compelling evidence of benefits.” An international team of researchers set out to examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association.

Poor diet and lack of exercise could influence the risk of cognitive decline (CD) and dementia long before their onset, a study suggests.

Regular video calls help with lifestyle changes to reduce dementia risk in older people, a lockdown-inspired research project has found. 

By comparing data from two studies, researchers have identified a potential link between air pollution and dementia.

The study

Researchers have combined Global Positioning System-based (GPS) with AI to detect early-onset Alzheimer’s in drivers, revealing a high level of accuracy in diagnosis.

A landmark study on footballers from the University of Glasgow revealed that goalkeepers only suffer dementia as much as the general public but defenders are five times more likely to be diagnosed.

The research analysed the health records of around 8000 former professional footballers in Scotland. It found that outfield players were almost four times as likely as ordinary members of the public. It also discovered that defenders develop dementia later in life at a rate of five times the general public.

The results did not vary depending on the era that the footballers played in. The study included data on players who played in 1930 all the way to the 1990s. This shows there has been no change to the risk of neurodegenerative disease despite changes to technology and head injury management over decades.

Researchers at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Denver reported that dementia cases could triple to 152 million by 2050.

The US Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) has announced up to US$2m of funding for a collaborative research initiative led by Alzheimer’s Research UK to develop a digital toolkit of apps and wearables to detect the earliest stage of Alzheimer's.