Some say ignorance is bliss. But when it comes to knowing your risk factor for a brain condition like Alzheimer’s disease, would you want to know?
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills; it accounts for 60-80 per cent of dementia cases (dementia is a term for the group of symptoms). According to Dementia Australia, there are more than 400,000 Australians currently living with dementia. Without a medical breakthrough, the number of people with dementia is expected to increase to over 800,000 by 2058.
Alzheimer’s disease is caused when a protein called beta-amyloid builds up in the brain forming sticky plaques, which can cause brain cells to die, resulting in loss of function and memory. It isn’t known for certain why some develop it and others don’t.
Once symptoms have started, they are irreversible. However, there are steps we can take to minimise our risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life. And with Alzheimer’s disease having a period of
