30 December 2023 , 08:45
490
0
A heartbreaking symptom of dementia when people check their watches can help make an early diagnosis and pave the way for future care and treatment.
There is currently no cure for , but early medical intervention can help manage it better. Research indicates more than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia, a number expected to increase in the future. is the most common cause of dementia, followed by vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia.
Among the early symptoms of the disease include memory loss, difficulty concentrating and being confused about the time and places. The NHS says of the disease: “These symptoms are often mild and may get worse only very gradually. It's often termed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as the symptoms are not severe enough to be diagnosed as dementia.
“You might not notice these symptoms if you have them, and family and friends may not notice or take them seriously for some time. In some people, these symptoms will remain the same and not worsen. But some people with MCI will go on to develop dementia.
"Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. This is why it's important to talk to a GP sooner rather than later if you're worried about memory problems or other symptoms.”
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
For decades little could be done to alleviate the symptoms of dementia but in the last 20 years the field has come along in leaps and bounds. New pills are now coming onto the market which can slow cognitive decline in dementia patients but them being widely accessible is still some way off. Instead life-style changes can make a huge difference.
Dr Oscar Lopez, director of the University of Pittsburgh Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, previously told the Mirror: "One thing you need to emphasise is that the prevalence of dementia in general in the population is huge. It’s a time bomb because people are living longer. From the neck down we’re in really good shape.
“Because we can deal with heart problems very easily but the brain is still at risk of dementia. Especially Alzheimer’s. Normally people remember the word five to ten minutes after they forgot it but people with dementia most likely won’t remember the word.
“Also people said 'I’m not the same, but I can not put that in words'. Or the family will say he or she is not the same person. They cannot put that in words. Sort of a feeling, that something is different. Sometimes the disease starts with a personality change, they are more disinhibited, they are more aggressive."