12 March 2023 , 10:00
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There are around 944,000 people in the UK with dementia - a figure which is expected to rise to nearly 1.6million by 2040.
Dementia is associated with a number of symptoms - such as memory loss, confusion, and problems with speech and understanding - that get worse over time.
According to Dementia UK, the condition stops a person’s brain cells working properly in specific areas, affecting their ability to remember, think and speak.
Changes in behaviour is an alarming warning sign that could signal Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.
Dementia expert Fran Vandelli claims that losing confidence and withdrawing from usual social engagements could indicate the brain-altering condition.
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The Dementia Lead at Bupa Care Services said: "As the condition worsens, you can find it difficult to plan and make decisions.”
People affected by Alzheimer's could "easily become confused and become anxious".
Withdrawing from usual social engagements could indicate the brain-altering condition. (Getty Images)"Understandably, these changes in feelings and behaviour can cause a lot of distress for a person and can put them at greater risk of depression," Vandelli added.
Other warning signs of the condition include:
Difficulty remembering times and dates
Difficulty taking in new information
Forgetting the names of familiar faces and places
Struggling to find the right words.
"It’s important to remember that no two people will experience dementia in exactly the same way," said Vandelli.
"In Alzheimer’s, abnormal proteins in the brain damage the cells and over time these start to die. The early symptoms are often memory lapses."
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There are other forms of dementia, such as:
- Vascular dementia
Dementia with Lewy bodies (LBD)
Frontotemporal dementia.
The health expert explained: "Alzheimer’s is the most commonly diagnosed type of dementia in the UK.
"The second most common type is vascular dementia, where the brain is damaged when the blood supply to it is reduced."
She stated: "This may happen after a stroke or mini-stroke. Symptoms of vascular dementia can get worse in big or small steps."
Signs of vascular dementia, as pointed out by the NHS :
Slowness of thought
Difficulty with planning
Trouble with understanding
Problems with concentration
Changes to your mood or behaviour
Problems with memory and language (but these are not as common as they are in people with Alzheimer's disease).
Later signs of vascular dementia could include:
Significant slowness of thought
Feeling disorientated and confused
Memory loss and difficulty concentrating
Difficulty finding the right words
Severe personality changes, such as becoming aggressive
Depression, mood swings and lack of interest or enthusiasm
Finding it difficult to walk and keep balance, with frequent falls
Loss of bladder control (incontinence)
Increasing difficulty with daily activities.
As for LBD, the third most common type of dementia, it is caused by deposits of abnormal protein called Lewy bodies inside brain cells - these build up in areas of the brain responsible for memory and muscle movement.
The condition could "also cause movement problems similar to Parkinson's disease".
Alzheimer’s is the most commonly diagnosed type of dementia in the UK (Getty)Signs of dementia with Lewy bodies, as highlighted by the NHS:
Hallucinations
Confusion or sleepiness
Slow movement, stiff limbs and tremors
Fainting, unsteadiness and falls.
Vandelli said: "Frontotemporal dementia is mostly diagnosed between the ages of 45 to 65, though people can get it earlier or later in life.
"It’s a group of conditions that cause cells to die in specific parts of the brain.
"There are broadly two types of frontotemporal dementia, which usually start with changes to behaviour and personality and emotional control, and/or problems with language."
Signs of frontotemporal dementia, according to the NHS:
Memory problems
Easily distracted
Struggle with planning and organisation
Speaking slowly, struggling to make the right sounds when speaking
Getting words in the wrong order.