What is early onset dementia?

Early onset dementia refers to anyone who has been diagnosed with dementia under the age of 65, which can be caused by any of the dementia diseases, it does not just relate to one dementia disease. This can be a challenging disease as often people are parents and being told that they have dementia can be difficult while trying to bring up a family. We cover how to explain dementia to a child in our article here. 

The way in which early onset dementia impacts young people is thought to be different to how it impacts a person if they are given a diagnosis of dementia when they are over 80 for example. The increased physical fitness for example means that they are more able to achieve tasks and do things that an 80 year old, but they are still limited by the impact of the disease. They may have a family, or the very least financial commitments that they are responsible for, which can add to the pressure on the family as a whole. We cover off the financial benefits that a dementia patient may be eligible for in our article here. 

Hereditary disease and other incidents for early onset dementia

The evidence suggests that people are more likely to be diagnosed with early onset dementia if they have a parent who has also been diagnosed with the disease. Therefore if it does exist in your family, it is worth having yourself checked, if you have not already been offered any test. 

Similarly, people with Down’s Syndrome or learning difficulties are more likely to be diagnosed with early onset dementia. In particular, those patients with Down’s Syndrome who go on to develop dementia, tend to develop Alzheimers and it is thought to have something to do with having the extra Chromosone 21.

Alcohol related dementia is another reason for early onset dementia. This is due to a lack of essential B1 vitamin in their body which leads to damage to nerve cells. 

Any reduction or impact to the vascular structure of the body, from a stroke for example, also increases the risk of an early onset dementia diagnosis. While sustaining a brain injury from an accident may also increase the risk of an early onset dementia diagnosis. 

Symptoms

The symptoms of early onset dementia are the same as any of the other common symptoms of dementia. Signs such as memory loss and the inability to perform some tasks are warning flags, as are changes in people’s behaviour or personality. Because of the lack of understanding of early onset dementia, these symptoms can often be misdiagnosed as being in relation to the menopause, anxiety or depression and therefore some GPs are not quick to recognise the signs of early onset dementia. 

As with any dementia diagnosis, early diagnosis is key, in order to make lifestyle changes that can help support living and trying to extend the rate of decline in a dementia patient. Diet changes as well as exercise may keep a dementia patient more active and independent for longer, before they require specialist care.
 

Getting a diagnosis

If you are concerned you should discuss this with you GP. In order for a younger person to be diagnosed with early onset dementia, it is likely that a specialist would need to carry out the tests, including brain scans to identify if anything is happening within the brain. As we covered in our article about getting a diagnosis from the GP, dementia symptoms can often be overlooked at any age, so it is important to take as much information as you can to the appointment. Keep a diary log of events if you can, to illustrate the points that you are concerned about.