In Alzheimer’s disease, an accumulation of excessive protein in the mind leads to the death of mind cell and therefore, the steady loss of brain function.
The actual cause is not completely understood, although Dr Zhao said:” It is believed to involve a combination of biological, environmental and lifestyle elements”.
Alzheimer’s illness tends to affect those over 60 years and accounts for 60 to 70 per cent of delirium cases, said Dr Hung. ” Patients may have memory loss that is so intense that it eventually leads to the loss of connection and motor skills, which ultimately leaves them completely dependent on other people for their daily activities.”
Besides Alzheimer’s disease, other types of memory include vascular memory, generally a result of a strokes, and Parkinson’s disease, which affects the nervous system and parts of the body controlled by the senses.
Less common types of memory include Lewy body dementia, which affects wondering, memory and action. Another kind, frontotemporal memory, affects the front and temporal lobes of the brain and can lead to changes in character, language skill and action.
DEMENTIA RISK: A LONGER LIFESPAN AND MENOPAUSE
” Age is one of the biggest risk factors contributing to dementia”, said Dr Hung. We are more likely to reach the age where the risk of memory is higher because women typically live longer.
Dr. Zhao added that a risk factor is also the menopausal estrogen levels ‘ drop. These physiological changes may contribute to the process that leads to Alzheimer’s disease.
However, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases in people post-menopause, which can also raise the risk of dementia, said Dr Chan Wan Xian, a physician at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
DEMENTIA RISK: HEART DISEASE, HYPERTENSION AND DIABETES
Dr Chan said cardiovascular condition, which is the most common cause of death among people in Singapore, also increases their risk of dementia.
A long-term study that was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2013 discovered that adult heart attack victims were twice as likely to experience a decrease in memory and thinking.
” Heart disappointment may lead to mental decline due to difficulties in the brain cells, thus causing neurodegeneration”, she said. According to Dr. Chan,” Atrial fibrillation can lead to small blood clot that may block the small vessels supplying blood to the brain, which can lead to bad circulation to the head or perhaps lead to a stroke.”
The result of all these, she added, can lead to mental decline and delirium in the long term.