Dementia encompasses a variety of conditions associated with progressive cognitive decline
A specialist has revealed whether cognitive decline can be passed down through families, at a time when more than 944,000 people are battling dementia across the UK. Dr Kellyn Lee, CEO of the Dementia Care Hub, has dedicated years to studying ageing, mental health and dementia.
In a previous social media post, she tackled a question from one of her followers about the potential connection between cognitive decline and family health. “So, somebody’s asked me this question [about dementia],” Dr Lee said, according to the Express.
“‘Does it have anything to do with what you’ve inherited from your parents? Like my dad has heart problems in his family, and my mum’s side mostly Alzheimer’s in her sisters. My mother got vascular dementia.'”
Responding to the query, Dr Lee then explained: “The research doesn’t show that sort of the more common types of dementia, like Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, there don’t seem to be those hereditary links as there are with the rarer types of dementia.
“So, the rarer types of dementia, there are genetic links between those, but not necessarily with the most common types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s and vascular.”
Dr Lee’s viewpoint matches that of the Alzheimer’s Society, which recognises that whilst most dementia cases aren’t inherited, particular gene mutations can contribute to a small proportion of cases. This typically encompasses Huntington’s disease, Familial Prion disease and Familial Alzheimer’s disease, with the latter frequently known as young-onset dementia.
Both Huntington’s disease and Familial Prion disease present a 50/50 likelihood of inheritance owing to the existence of a ‘single faulty dominant gene’. “The good news is that these kinds of dementia are very unusual,” advice from Alzheimer’s Society claims. “…In general, the earlier a person develops Alzheimer’s disease, the greater the chance that it is due to a faulty inherited gene.
“So in the really rare cases of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease in their 30s and 40s, it’s almost always because of a faulty gene.” In more common cases of dementia, genes merely contribute a small part amongst numerous other factors.
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Actually, it’s estimated that 45% of dementia cases could possibly be avoided by tackling 14 changeable risk factors at various life stages. Last year, Oxford University scientists also discovered that lack of physical activity, alcohol consumption, and exposure to pollution were among the factors that could heighten dementia risk after analysing 40,000 brain scans.
Professor Gwenaëlle Douaud, who led the study, said at the time: “We know that a constellation of brain regions degenerates earlier in ageing, and in this new study we have shown that these specific parts of the brain are most vulnerable to diabetes, traffic-related air pollution − increasingly a major player in dementia − and alcohol, of all the common risk factors for dementia.
“We have found that several variations in the genome influence this brain network, and they are implicated in cardiovascular deaths, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as with the two antigens of a little-known blood group, the elusive XG antigen system, which was an entirely new and unexpected finding.”
What are the earliest signs of dementia?
Dementia encompasses a variety of conditions associated with progressive cognitive decline. Although symptoms differ based on the type, some during the initial stages may include:
- Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
- Memory loss
- Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- Being confused about time and place
- Mood changes
- Difficulty concentrating
If you or a loved one is experiencing these symptoms, it is essential to consult a GP for guidance and support.