Discussion Protective Factors for Dementia

Protective Factors for Dementia
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Protective Factors for Dementia
With approximately 850,000 people in the United Kingdom being diagnosed with dementia in the year 2015 and over 61,000 deaths, resulting from the disease, being recorded in the same year; dementia has ended up among one of the most significant health challenges in the world (“Dementia Now Leading Cause of Death,” 2016). The current reality in the health sector is that, like most cases of cancer, no one survives the diagnosis of dementia. Therefore, the only option left for people is to seek prevention measures that will keep them away from being potential victims of dementia.
The onset of dementia starts with the shrinkage of the brain tissue before proceeding to affect the rest of the brain. “Dementia Symptoms and Areas of the Brain” (n.d.) states that the hippocampus and the structures connecting it to the rest of the brain are the first areas of the brain affected. According to “Memory Consolidation” (n.d.), the memory retrieval process is only possible through the hippocampus. Burnett (2015) however claims that memories stored long ago are not dependent on the functioning of the hippocampus. As a result, despite one having dementia impairing the activities of the hippocampus, they are still able to remember their childhood memories. However, they are unlikely to recall an event that took place more than an hour ago.
An individual developing dementia may result from them being old or inherited genes.

As a result, contracting the disease cannot be controlled. Hence, the people are left to consider risk reductions measures involving managing one’s habits and lifestyle. According to the Department of Health & Human Services (2014), the risk reduction processes include modifying the brain, body, and heart such that they continuously operate within healthy limits. Brain modification process, in this case, involves stimulating the brain with activities such as reading and learning new skills to improve the brain’s cognitive abilities. On the other hand, healthy living practices such as physical exercises and avoiding drugs such as alcohol, with the potential to damage the brain cells, reduces one’s risk of developing dementia. Lastly, receiving effective long-term treatment for blood pressure, maintaining the body weight within the healthy limits, low cholesterol intake and avoiding being both an active and passive smoker reduces the chances of one developing dementia.
In summary, a treatment plan for dementia is yet to be discovered hence people can only try to avoid developing the disease through brain-healthy living practices. Increasing one’s cognitive activities and ensuring there is good blood circulation in the brain improves the health status of the mind thus lowering the chances of one developing dementia.

References
Burnett, D. (2015, September 16). What happens in your brain when you make a memory? Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/sep/16/what-happens-in-your-brain-when-you-make-a-memoryDementia Now Leading Cause of Death. (2016, November 14). Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://www.bbc.com/news/health-37972141Dementia Symptoms and Areas of the Brain. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/how-dementia-progresses/symptoms-brain#content-startDepartment of Health & Human Services. (2014, October 31). Dementia – reducing your risk. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/dementia-reducing-your-risk
Memory Consolidation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2018, from http://www.human-memory.net/processes_consolidation.html