Contents:
- Medical Video: Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia, explained by Frank Longo, MD, PhD, at Stanford Hospital
- A variety of risk factors for dementia are ...
- 1. Age
- 2. Your illness
- 3. Lazy exercise
- 4. Unhealthy diet
- 5. Active smoking
- 6. Head injury
- 7. Depression
Medical Video: Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia, explained by Frank Longo, MD, PhD, at Stanford Hospital
Dementia is a group of symptoms characterized by a decrease in the brain's ability to think, remember, and communicate due to the death of brain cells. Dementia is not known exactly what caused it. Even so, there are some things that can increase your risk of experiencing dementia in old age. What are they?
A variety of risk factors for dementia are ...
1. Age
Although the exact cause is unknown, dementia is common in elderly people.
Dementia has long been associated with decreased brain cognitive function as a side effect of natural aging. That's why the older you are, the greater your risk of dementia. It is estimated that 1 in 14 elderly people aged 65 years live with dementia, and in 1 in 6 people aged 80 years and over.
Aging not only causes facial wrinkles and gray hair in your head's hair, but also weakens the immune system and its ability to repair damaged cells - including nerve cells in the brain. Old age also causes the heart to pump fresh blood is no longer optimal. The brain that does not get enough fresh blood for a long time can experience shrinkage, which then affects its function.
These factors are strongly suspected of affecting the risk of someone experiencing dementia in old age.
2. Your illness
Dementia is not a disease, but a series of symptoms that can indicate disease. Many diseases can cause dementia, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, to circulatory disorders (stroke and atherosclerosis) which can be caused by high cholesterol.
Cholesterol plaque buildup can narrow blood vessels so that it interferes with blood flow to the brain. This can damage the ability of brain cells to function properly and ultimately can cause the death of brain cells.
Diabetes also contributes to the increased risk of dementia, which is often not realized. Just like high cholesterol, uncontrolled diabetes over time can damage blood vessels, including blood vessels that point to the brain, as well as the nerves in the brain.
3. Lazy exercise
If you have always procrastinated to start sports, it's good to immediately round off your intentions and wear your sports shoes. Yes! Unexpectedly, other risk factors for dementia are your daily physical inactivity.
Because, minimal exercise time can increase your risk of various chronic diseases that affect brain function. For example, heart disease, blood circulation disorders, being overweight or obese, to diabetes - all of these are risk factors for dementia. In addition, adults who enter old age and don't exercise regularly will be more likely to experience problems with memory or thinking ability.
Therefore, start getting used to physical activity for at least 30 minutes every day or at least 3-5 days a week (a total of 150 minutes a week). No need to exercise hard. You can start by walking around the complex, cycling or swimming. Also get used to not sitting too long. When working in the office, take the time to stretch or get up from the chair for a short walk (whether it's to take a drink or go to the toilet).
4. Unhealthy diet
Your diet has indirectly contributed to the risk of dementia in the future. Most eat fatty foods, which are too much salt, and too much sugar intake can cause various health problems that affect the health of the heart, blood vessels, and brain that are the trigger for dementia.
5. Active smoking
Research in the 2015 Plos One Journal shows that active smokers are 30% more at risk of developing dementia than non-smokers. The longer you get used to smoking and the more cigarettes you spend, the risk of dementia increases.
Smoking can damage the body's blood vessels, disrupt blood circulation, and increase your risk of heart disease. These factors cause why smokers are more likely to experience dementia than non-smokers.
6. Head injury
A bit of a shock or a pretty hard impact, you may have experienced it a lot. However, head injuries should not be underestimated. Severe head injuries can cause brain damage.
Quoted from the Everyday Health page, a 2014 study showed that people aged 55 years and over who suffered brain injury had a higher risk of developing dementia, while even mild brain injury could increase the risk of dementia in the elderly 65 years and over.
Always protect your head with appropriate protective devices, such as helmets or face masks, if your profession has a high risk of injury. Also, always make sure you wear a seat belt or helmet while driving to avoid accidental head trauma.
7. Depression
Other risk factors for dementia are depression. Even so, the link between the two is very complex. One study even reported that depression can double the risk of dementia. Depression is suspected to be the cause of dementia in old age because of depressive symptoms that make a person withdraw from the surrounding environment. Social isolation over time can have a negative impact on brain function and health.
In addition, if you are depressed and have a stroke, this will also increase your risk of dementia by up to 5 times. While if you have depression and hypertension, your dementia risk can increase threefold.
Depression can be prevented and / or managed by changes in a healthy lifestyle, such as regular exercise and a healthy diet. If you are prescribed an antidepressant medication, take the medication according to your doctor's advice. Do not stop or change the dosage yourself, without the doctor's knowledge, to prevent the risk of adverse side effects.
