_646x363.jpg?ar=16%3A9&fit=crop&crop=top&auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
According to research, a third of all babies born in 2015 can expect to experience mental degeneration - as the population of the UK ages.
And with no treatment to either stop or slow dementia, the prediction is a pretty bleak one for parents.
Dr Matthew Norton, from Alzheimer’s Research UK explained that as people live longer, more people develop dementia.
Norton described the disorder as ‘our greatest medical challenge’ and urged investment in research to find new treatments and possible preventions.
The prediction from Azheimer’s Research UK is that 27% of boys born this year will develop dementia in their lifetime, while 37% of girls will.
What is dementia?
Dementia actually describes a set of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulty with thinking, problem solving or language. It is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer’s, or by a series of strokes.
Each person will experience dementia in their own way.
However, common symptoms of the early stages of the disease include:
-
difficulty in recalling events that happened recently
-
difficulty in concentrating, planning or organising
-
difficulty in carrying out a sequence of tasks
-
difficulty in following a conversation or finding the correct words for something
-
difficulty judging distances
-
lack of orientation - losing track of the day or date, or becoming confused about where they are
For more information on dementia visit the Alzheimer’s society here.
If you are concerned about any symptoms you or someone close to you is experiencing - make an appointment with your GP.