We’re living longer these days so we might expect the number of people to develop dementia to increase.
A recent study shows dementia cases will triple what they are today by 2050. More diabetes, greater weight gain, more smoking and those risk factors, along with aging, are increasing the risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
So living a healthy lifestyle can make a big difference. Dr. James Leverenz of Cleveland Clinic has more.
“A lot of our research here at the Cleveland Clinic is focused on how physical activity interacts with genetic risk factors for Alzheimer ‘s Disease and the immune system. so we’re very excited about trying to parse what ways we can recommend people to help them prevent getting Alzheimer’s, even when they carry a risk gene,” Leverenz said.
Dementia describes a group of symptoms that can affect thinking, memory, reasoning, personality, mood and behavior. There is no single test available to determine if someone has dementia. Doctors often have to do a series of exams and assessments.