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Anthea Rowan

This is the 84th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.
I did not recognise the signs of dementia developing in mum – the changes in her walking, her frequent need to urinate, her difficulty in swallowing – until quite late. Looking back, I see how they developed one after another.
Nearly 80 per cent of all dementias are caused by Alzheimer’s disease. The hallmark of this is the abnormal deposit of proteins – amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles – in the brain.
These proteins act like roadblocks, disrupting communication between brain cells.
In the beginning, the hippocampal regions of the brain are affected; the hippocampus is responsible for memory and learning. As these proteins continue to affect other parts of the brain, more bodily functions are affected.

Here is what to look for in a loved one, or even in yourself.
Changes in walking and balance
When my mother stumbled and fell from a garden step, our chief concern was that she had split her head open. It was bleeding. It might have needed sutures. We worried about injury to her brain because of the fall.
It never occurred to us that there was already injury to her brain – and that it was probably what had caused her to lose her balance in the first place.
According to Timothy Kwok, a professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, walking and balancing are two of the major strengths and abilities humans have – despite most of us taking our mobility for granted and performing it mostly subconsciously.
These abilities are entirely dependent on healthy brain function. “When dementia sets in, steps become uneven and smaller, thus increasing the risk of falling,” he adds. That describes my mother’s steps the day she fell.

The risk of falls and resulting fractures is several times higher in people with dementia than in healthy older people.
Similarly, a sufferer’s ability to adapt the way they walk when faced with obstacles – such as a child or an animal running in front of them, or a bump in the road – is also impaired. They do not respond with the same accuracy and speed as they once would have done. That can lead to trips and falls. Often, though, these are blamed on frailty, failing eyesight, or dodgy hips or knees – not dementia.
Words are not enough
Often, when clinics test an older person’s cognition, they focus on memory and verbal responses. Research suggests we need to consider a person’s whole health when trying to ascertain their brain health.
When my mother’s failing memory caused concern, we took her to her doctor. She was asked her name, the date and her place of birth, what day it was and who she lived with. She could have answered many of these queries right up until the end of her life, when her Alzheimer’s was quite advanced. She always knew her name and could confidently tell you she was born in Bombay – now called Mumbai – in June 1941, even in the days before her death.
This focus on spoken answers is not enough. Women often have stronger verbal skills than men, and this can hide early dementia symptoms. They are better able to talk around gaps in memory and score normally on word-based tests, even when their brains show significant changes associated with Alzheimer’s.
Eating and drinking can be hazardous

I was not aware my mother was aspirating when she was eating; some food, liquid or saliva was going down the wrong way, entering the airway and lungs instead of the stomach. A doctor friend we were having lunch with noticed this and quietly voiced her concern. I had not even heard the term used before.
Swallowing is a complex motor skill managed by the brainstem and cortical networks. Kwok says that in moderate to late stages of dementia, chewing and swallowing become problematic, a condition known as dysphagia.
“Initially, people with dementia chew less and may spit food out instead of swallowing it. Later, swallowing becomes difficult and uncoordinated. Liquid is more difficult to swallow than solids,” he says. Although it sounds counterintuitive, using a thickening agent in food can sometimes help.
As the disease progresses, puréed food is usually recommended, which comes with a downside. “This limits food choices and the enjoyment from eating,” Kwok says. I observed this in my mum.

Loss of bladder control is a wake-up call
When I recall my mother’s bladder problems, I realise how long her dementia symptoms had been evident before we recognised them as such.
She had complained of an irritable bladder for years before a dementia diagnosis was confirmed. She always felt an urgent need to use the toilet, but urinating never seemed to alleviate that feeling.
She saw her doctor time and time again. Sometimes a urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed, which is not uncommon in the elderly; sometimes antibiotics were prescribed. She drank cranberry juice, which is meant to alleviate cystitis, or bladder inflammation.
She was finally prescribed a medication specific to irritable bladder, which – we discovered too late – probably hastened her cognitive decline.
Many bladder-control pills work by blocking a brain chemical crucial for memory and attention. In older people, especially those at risk of dementia, this “anticholinergic” effect can cloud thinking in the short term and, when used for years, is linked with a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia. There are safer alternatives.

When my sister and I discovered that mum had begun wetting herself, we gently encouraged her to use incontinence pads and realised the problem was not cystitis or a leaky bladder.
Bladder function – like all our bodily functions – is controlled by the brain. When dementia sets in, the bladder becomes irritable, Kwok says, resulting in urinary frequency and nocturia – needing to urinate often at night.
As the disease advances and dulls the sensation, it becomes less noticeable and the ability to hold in urine is impaired. Urinary incontinence follows and later faecal incontinence too.
Impaired sleep worsens dementia

Mum had never been able to reliably sleep for eight hours per night. Depression had disrupted it for years. But fitful sleep can be an early marker of dementia, and it can get progressively worse as the disease advances and upsets the circadian rhythm. Eventually, it can turn time on its head so that day becomes night and night becomes day.
Dementia impairs one’s ability to fall asleep and to maintain sleep, Kwok says. Poor sleep will cause further cognitive decline, as sleep is crucial for the brain to remove toxic waste, such as beta-amyloid protein, and to consolidate memory. On the other hand, some dementia leads to excessive sleep.
Keep an eye on your older loved ones. If you notice them having trouble walking, swallowing, needing to use the toilet more frequently or not sleeping well, have them visit a doctor.
While there is no cure for dementia, early diagnosis and symptom treatment may help slow its advance, keep a patient more comfortable and may help start a difficult conversation.
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Wellness

What are the early signs of dementia? Things to look for in loved ones and yourself

Elderly people choking on food. Photo: Shutterstock

Impaired sleep can be an early sign of dementia, which can hasten cognitive decline. Here are other signs of the disease to look out for in your loved ones. Photo: Shutterstock

Writer Anthea Rowan walks with her mother Lala years before the latter was diagnosed with dementia, but when signs of the condition had already begun to emerge. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Dementia increases the risk of falling, as the disease disrupts communication between different parts of the brain. Photo: Shutterstock

Elderly people with dementia commonly experience difficulty swallowing, which can make eating dangerous. Photo: Shutterstock

Timothy Kwok is a professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Urinary incontinence is a common symptom of dementia as the disease dulls the “need to go” sensation and makes holding in urine difficult. Photo: Shutterstock

Dementia sufferers often have trouble sleeping, and bouts of fitful sleep can be an early marker of the disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Should you retire? The mental health benefits of working past traditional retirement age

Benny Ratnani, 75, is the owner of Bee Dee Manufacturing in Hong Kong and one of a growing number of local residents who are working past the traditional retirement age of 65. Photo: Sun Yeung

Ratnani founded Bee Dee Manufacturing in Hong Kong in 1982. Photo: Sun Yeung

Ratnani at the Great Wall. He frequently travels to mainland China. Photo: Benny Ratnani

Having a job you love is a bit like therapy – it can prevent anxiety and depression, Ratnani says. Photo: Benny Ratnani

Continuing to work past retirement age gives seniors a clear sense of purpose and structure, says Hong Kong-based psychologist Adrian Low. Photo: Adrian Low

Ratnani and his son at their office in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sun Yeung

At 75, Ratnani still enjoys good health and tries to live an active lifestyle. Photo: Benny Ratnani

What is the best brain training test to reduce dementia risk? Study examines various types

In a study on whether specific types of cognitive training could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, the group that undertook speed training improved the most, in areas including safer driving, improved mood and more self-confidence. Photo: Shutterstock

An illustration of a cross-section of a normal brain (left) and one of a brain damaged by Alzheimer’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock

A screen capture from the Double Decision speed training brain game used in the Active study. Photo: BrainHQ

Dr Marilyn Albert is a professor of neurology and director of cognitive neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University in the US state of Maryland. Photo: Johns Hopkins

Neuroscientists recognise that the brain is “plastic” and capable of change at any age. They understand it can rewire itself in response to certain experiences or learning. Photo: Shutterstock

Why your brain forces your senses to perceive reality to fit preconceived ideas

What colour is the apple on the cover of Daniel Yon’s book A Trick of the Mind: How the Brain Invents Your Reality? 
Photo: Amazon

Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. If given the choice, we should all take the blue pill and return to our “delusion”, says Daniel Yon, an experimental psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist at the University of London in the UK. Photo: Warner Bros

Daniel Yon is a psychologist and neuroscientist at the University of London. Photo: Facebook/BirkbeckUniversityofLondon

The cover of Daniel Yon’s book, A Trick of the Mind: How the Brain Invents Your Reality. Photo: Amazon

Trying to understand other people is a bit like trying to understand what life looks like on other planets, Yon notes. Photo: Shutterstock

Philosophers, religions and authors have often encouraged us to try to experience reality as it is through things like psychedelic drugs. Photo: Shutterstock

Health benefits of quitting alcohol, from weight loss to slowing ageing

Jodi Clark, seen in January 2023 and this month,  who now runs online groups, challenges and retreats for women, has lost 38kg (84lb) since she stopped drinking more than 3 years ago. Photo: Jodi Clark

David Wilson, whose Instagram handle is @soberdave, quit alcohol more than seven years ago after nearly four decades of regular drinking. Now he is helping others who want to stop and improve their health. Photo: David Wilson

Wilson shares motivational nuggets and more on his Instagram account @soberdave. Photo: Instagram/soberdave

Jodi Clark in January 2023 (left) and in January 2026 (right). She has lost 38kg since she stopped drinking more than three years ago. Photo: Jodi Clark

Clark says she used to be a “middle-lane drinker”, someone who binged at the weekend but restricted drinking during the week. Photo: Jodi Clark

Millie Gooch, founder of the Sober Girl Society, is always keen to share tips on how to fully embrace sobriety.  Photo: Instagram/sobergirlsociety

Nurse practitioner Cynthia Thurlow has seen how alcohol can ruin lives. Photo: Cynthia Thurlow

David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, says alcohol “pickles your brain”. Photo: Imperial College London

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Family & Relationships

Decoding dementia

How caring for a parent with dementia taught me about symptoms, prevention and why seeking out the latest research is so important

Author Anthea Rowan (right) with her mother.

Author Anthea Rowan (right) with her mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Anthea with her mother. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Studies suggest that regular exercise lowers the risk of cognitive decline by 35 per cent. Photo: Getty Images

Staying active can help prevent or delay the onset of dementia, studies suggest. Photo: Shutterstock

Why should you have a brain scan to test for dementia when there’s no cure? Knowing can help you delay its onset, neurologist says

It can be daunting to get a brain scan to test for signs of dementia, but a neurologist behind new research reveals the advantages of knowing early. Photo: Shutterstock

New research has found that dementia can be detected as early as nine years before symptoms manifest, and this could have significant implications for treatment. Photo: Shutterstock

Timothy Rittman, the neurologist who led the dementia research at Cambridge University. Photo: Cambridge University

A brain scan showing signs of dementia. Photo: Getty Images

Lizzie Perry, founder of This is Dementia, with her father, who was diagnosed with the disease at 58. Photo: This is Dementia

The approval in the US of a new drug that slows the onset of Alzheimer’s makes Rittman hopeful about the future of dementia treatment. Photo: Cambridge University

Why women are more likely to have dementia than men as they age, and how exercise and engagement can help lower your risk

Women may be at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s than men for a number of reasons: biological, societal or cultural. Experts suggest exercise and social engagement can help offset the risk. Photo: Getty Images

The spread of tau – the protein that clumps into the telltale tangles of dementia – may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Female twins with a male co-twin were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than female twins with a female co-twin. Photo: Shutterstock

Prenatal care and monitoring pregnant women’s health is key, as it may impact cognition and dementia risk in later life. Photo: Shutterstock

Taking regular exercise is key for women – and men – to reduce the risk of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

How high or low blood pressure increases the risk of dementia, and why it’s never too late, or early, to adopt a healthy lifestyle to manage it

Having blood pressure that is too high or too low has been linked to a higher risk of dementia, but it’s never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle that will help maintain optimal blood pressure. Photo: Shutterstock


An optimal blood pressure reading, easily measured with a home device, is around 120/80. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Ruth Peters was lead author of a study looking at the links between blood pressure and dementia. Photo: Dr Ruth Peters

It’s never too late, or too early, to start thinking about brain health and living a healthy lifestyle. Photo: Shutterstock

Problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory and other thought processes may result from damage caused by impaired blood flow to the brain – which may be brought on by high blood pressure. Photo: Shutterstock

6 dementia fighting tips from Dr Sanjay Gupta and Marc Milstein, experts on brain health – walk, talk, read, learn, relax, and eat and drink properly

We can protect ourselves against the risk of dementia with some simple lifestyle practices. Exercising (above), eating a good diet, drinking less alcohol, socialising, reading more and trying new things all help keep the brain sharp, say brain experts including Dr Sanjay Gupta. Photo: Shutterstock 

The cover of one of Dr Sanjay Gupta’s book. Photo: Simon & Schuster

The cover of Marc Milstein’s book. Photo: Marc Milstein

Drink alcohol mindfully and ask yourself why you are having that drink. Photo: Shutterstock

Learning new things creates new brain cell connections and helps keep your mind sharp. Photo: Shutterstock

Reading is good for brain health. Try to read a wide range of book styles, and join a book club to discuss with others what you are reading. Photo: Shutterstock

During sleep, our brains are restored and repaired, so relaxing is important if we’re going to get those seven hours of quality sleep. Photo: Shutterstock

Relationships keep us engaged, interested and interesting, and may help prevent dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Like a light switch’: how sundowning syndrome affects dementia sufferers – and their carers; what it is and tips for how to cope

A person with dementia may experience “sundowning” syndrome - towards the end of the day they become more agitated, confused, panicked, resistant to instruction and restless. This affects their carers, too. Photo: Shutterstock

A person in bed, unable to sleep. Conservative estimates suggest about 20 per cent of dementia patients experience sundowning at some point.

Trey Todd is a neuroscientist at the University of Wyoming. Photo: Trey Todd

Sundowning was coined in 1987 by Lois Evans of Penn Nursing at Pennsylvania University. Photo: University of Pennsylvania

The pineal gland in our brain produces melatonin, which is what helps prompt us to sleep and awaken. In a broken system it is disrupted. Melatonin supplements might help fight sundowning. Photo: Shutterstock

Taking a patient with sundowning syndrome for a walk at a consistent time each day, morning or evening, may alleviate symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock

Getting out into the daylight early in the day is good for our sleep patterns, whether we have dementia or not. Photo: Shutterstock

Healthy marriage, healthy mind? Dementia risk lower for people married a long time, studies show; expert suggests why

Research suggests that people who have stayed married for a long time have a lower risk for dementia because they feel less lonely, are more likely to eat well and exercise more, and are more cognitively engaged. Photo: Shutterstock

Vegard Skirbekk is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Photo: Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Anthea Rowan’s parents on their wedding day. Photo: courtesy of Anthea Rowan

A long-time married partner represents a security that provides a buffer against stressors. Photo: Shutterstock

Anthea Rowan and her husband on their wedding day. Photo: courtesy of Anthea Rowan

If you live with a partner long term, you are more likely to develop healthy daily patterns, to eat well and exercise more. Photo: Shutterstock

‘Dementia village’ that’s the first of its kind helps residents live normal lives, has a restaurant, theatre and supermarket – and no one wears a white coat

Residents are free to live their lives as they like at the world’s first “dementia village”, The Hogeweyk in The Netherlands. Photo: The Hogeweyk

The Hogeweyk, a “dementia villlage” in the Netherlands, provides care and a familiar and safe environment in which people with dementia live while retaining their own identity and autonomy as much as possible. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Jannette Spiering is the senior managing adviser and co-founder at The Hogeweyk in the Netherlands, which offers “humanising care for people with dementia”. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Residents relax around the fountain in the theatre square at The Hogeweyk. Photo: The Hogeweyk 

Residents of The Hogeweyk respond positively to their increased autonomy. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Residents at the healthcare facility take part in a painting class. Photo: The Hogeweyk

Hearing loss dramatically raises the risk of dementia, so why are so many people in midlife doing nothing to prevent it? A test is easy to arrange

Hearing loss has been linked to a higher risk of dementia and cognitive decline,  say experts, who recommend testing for preventable hearing problems (above).  Photo: Getty Images

Alison Huang, a senior research associate at the Cochlear Centre at Johns Hopkins, in the US, says hearing loss makes the brain work harder to process sounds. Photo: Johns Hopkins

Jiang Fan from the School of Public Health at China’s Shandong University. Photo: Shandong University

Checking your hearing in midlife is crucial, and can help you stave off cognitive deterioration. Photo: Shutterstock

Can HRT reduce dementia risk? New hormone replacement therapy studies say yes, upending 2002 reports

HRT use has been linked to better cognition, blood flow and brain size and a reduction in all neurodegenerative disease in recent studies. Photo: Shutterstock

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) use has been linked to better cognition, blood flow and brain size and a reduction in dementia and other neurodegenerative disease in recent studies. Photo: Shutterstock

If HRT is started after the age of 65, brain cells will have already been deprived of oestrogen for many years. This could mean there is a decline in neuronal connections – the brain’s messaging system. Photo: Shutterstock

HRT was found to be most effective when introduced early in menopause, says Anne Marie Minihane, director of the UK’s Norwich Institute of Healthy Ageing at the University of East Anglia. Photo: University of East Anglia

Dr Andrea Kwakowsky from at the University of Galway in Ireland believes the “critical period” for starting HRT is within five years of menopause. Photo: University of Galway

How can you prevent dementia? Free brain health online tool teaches the risks and gives essential tips on avoiding it

The new free “Think Brain Health Check-in” online tool from Alzheimer’s Research UK doesn’t test your memory but checks how well you’re looking after your brain and gives tips to help prevent dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Susan Mitchell is head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK. Photo: Dr Susan Mitchell

The Think Brain Health Check-in asks how often you challenge your brain - and then highlights why challenging your brain is key to staving off dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Getting a good night’s sleep every night is one way to lower the risk of developing dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Up to 40 per cent of dementia cases could be prevented if people were mindful of the risk factors for the illness and made lifestyle changes to prevent them. Photo: Shutterstock

Can lack of sleep raise dementia risk? Yes, studies say – but with one exception

Having only five hours of sleep a night can increase dementia risk by 30 per cent for adults over 50, one study says. Photo: Shutterstock

One tip to overcome insomnia is to avoid clock-watching. Photo: Shutterstock

Taking a warm shower or bath in the hour or so before bed may help you fall asleep – and stay asleep. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Roger Wong of the department of public health and preventive medicine at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University. Photo: Roger Wong

Sleep aids can heighten dementia risk, Wong says. Photo: Shutterstock

Can’t sleep? Try getting up and engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, like reading or making jam. Photo: Shutterstock

Dementia and ACB scores: how common prescription and over-the-counter drugs raise the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline

Certain common drugs, including antihistamines, antacids, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines, can disrupt the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, dubbed the “memory molecule” increasing the risk of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

The writer, Anthea Rowan, with her mother. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Taking medications that block the action of acetylcholine can lead to memory loss, problems with spatial awareness, and cognitive decline. Photo: Shutterstock

Studies have found that anticholinergic drugs carried “significant’ dementia risk” for the over-65s. Photo: Shutterstock

Doctors need to be mindful of the risks posed by anticholinergic drugs, especially to an already at-risk population: the over 65s. Photo: Shutterstock

How to safeguard your ageing brain: build ‘cognitive reserve’ with mental and physical exercise, and stay active and socially engaged

The phrase ‘use it or lose it’ is not just a hypothesis, it’s a basic biological fact that holds as true for our brains as our muscles or bones. Photo:
Shutterstock

Our brains, like our muscles need regular use to stay healthy and flexible, say experts, and keeping our brains active builds our ‘cognitive reserve’, helping us to stave off dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Geriatric psychiatrist Dr David Merrill recommends the active pursuit of activities that keep the brain sharp to stave off dementia. Photo: Dr David Merrill

Dorina Cadar says cultural and social engagement, reading, doing crossword puzzles, visiting art galleries, clubs and cinemas, and volunteering all increase our cognitive reserve. Photo: Dorina Cadar

Visiting an art gallery or doing something new and different are good ways to build up cognitive reserve. Photo: Shutterstock 

How yoga benefits dementia patients: new study uncovers brain-health boosts, supporting earlier research

Yoga has health benefits including better brain neuroplasticity, improved sleep quality, and more robust cardiorespiratory fitness, all of which help people experiencing cognitive decline or dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Diana Karamacoska is a research support programme fellow in healthy ageing and dementia at the NICM Health Research Institute at Western Sydney University. Photo: Courtesy of Diana Karamacoska

Yoga could be helpful in managing brain inflammation, particularly with its mindfulness component. Photo: Shutterstock

Wendy Du is the founder of Shan Studios in Hong Kong. Photo: Wendy Du/Shan Studios

Du has maintained a daily yoga practice for 10 years. Photo: Courtesy of Shan Studios

5 nutrients good for brain health that can delay dementia, or prevent it, and foods to eat with a high concentration of them

Research has identified some key nutrients we need in our diets to maintain good cognitive function and delay or prevent the onset of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Eating healthy isn’t just good for our bodies, it’s good for our brains, too. Photo: Shutterstock

Zahinoor Ismail, of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary. Photo: University of Calgary

Kale with pine nuts is a dish high in magnesium, and so good for brain function. Photo: Shutterstock

Oatmeal, and other wholegrain foods such as brown rice and quinoa, are rich in magnesium. Photo: Shutterstock

Mackerel is a fish that is especially high in magnesium. Photo: Shutterstock

Why you have to keep smiling at a dementia patient – you’ll feel better and it could evoke a positive response

A smile can bring a smile in return from a dementia patient, and may make them more amenable to your requests. Photo: Shutterstock

Author Anthea Rowan with her mother, who suffered from dementia. As a carer you’ve got to keep smiling, an expert on the condition tells her - and it’s not for the reason you might think. Photo: Anthea Rowan

Timothy Kwok, professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Director of the Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing. Photo: Timothy Kwok

Dementia sufferers cannot be reasoned with, and their emotions can run the gamut from highly positive to negative in the course of a day. Photo: Shutterstock

Many dementia sufferers end up in residential care homes because caring for them is difficult and time-consuming – especially for family members with jobs. Photo: Shutterstock

The living room at Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing, in Hong Kong. Photo: Jockey Club Centre for Positive Ageing

‘An attack by aliens’: how to deal with a dementia patient’s delusions – experts’ tips for carers

Carers often find it challenging to calm a dementia patient down when they suffer from paranoia, hallucinations and delusions. Experts offer advice on what to do. Photo: Shutterstock

It can be heartbreaking for a carer, especially if they are a family member, when a dementia patient cannot recognise them. Photo: Shutterstock

Disinhibition, poor control or restraint over emotions or actions, is common in patients with advanced dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Fiona Kumfor is a neuropsychologist at the University of Sydney in Australia. Photo: Fiona Kumfor

When a dementia patient cannot remember where they put something, they might jump to the conclusion that it has been stolen. Photo: Shutterstock

Dementia begins in the memory centres, the hippocampus and the medial temporal lobe, then moves to other parts of the brain like the temporal lobes and then into the frontal lobe and the parietal lobes. Photo: Shutterstock

Sometimes dementia patients lose the ability to recognise loved ones’ faces, and so they may say they have never met them before. Photo: Shutterstock

Timothy Kwok is a professor of geriatric medicine at Chinese University of Hong Kong. Photo: Timothy Kwok

Unravelling 2 Alzheimer’s markers: what are amyloid plaques and tau tangles, how do they form and what do they do to the brain?

“Sepia galactic storms”: the rust coloured clumps are the stained amyloid plaques, the little black squiggles are the tau tangles. Photo: Andrew Lee

Amyloid plaques and tau tangles found in Alzheimer’s sufferers’ brains are caused by build-ups of proteins that block electrical messages. 
Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Andrew Lees, author of “The Silent Plague”, is a professor of neurology at the National Hospital in London and University College London. Photo: Dr Andrew Lees

Lee’s image of “sepia galactic storms”: the rust-coloured clumps are stained amyloid plaques, the little black squiggles are tau tangles. Photo: Andrew Lee

Two neurons: a healthy one and one with Alzheimer’s disease – with tangles and disintegration of the microtubules. Photo: Shutterstock

Daniele Vigolo and his team were able to monitor the change from liquid to solid in “fused in sarcoma” proteins, and study their internal structure. Photo: Daniele Vigolo

5 Alzheimer’s experts’ lifestyle advice on avoiding and delaying the onset of the most common form of dementia

Lifestyle tips for avoiding or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, include staying active and socially engaged. Photo: Shutterstock

Keep your brain active throughout your lifetime – particularly by learning new skills as you age. Photo: Shutterstock 

Regular physical activity – even having a daily walk – can help delay the onset of dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Andrew Lees is professor of neurology at the National Hospital in London, and University College London. Photo: Dr Andrew Lees

Professor Timothy Kwok is professor of geriatric medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. 

What are the early signs of dementia? Things to look for in loved ones and yourself

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Verbal tests don’t always pick up Alzheimer’s disease. Falls, problems swallowing, bladder issues and other symptoms can be better signs

Verbal tests don’t always pick up Alzheimer’s disease. Falls, problems swallowing, bladder issues and other symptoms can be better signs