Many factors can eventually contribute to dementia. Some of these factors can be changed whilst others can not be.
Factors which can not be changed are called non modifiable risk factors. Non modifiable risk factors include:
- Age
- Family history
- Down syndrome
- Gender
Age is considered to be the biggest risk factor in developing dementia. Although dementia can be developed among people in the 30s and 40s dementia is most commonly found among people aged 65 and older. It is widely considered that dementia can begin to develop 10 or 20 years before symptoms present or are recognised.
Dementia is more prevalent among women with one possible reason for this being that women commonly live longer than men meaning that age is still be one of the greatest reasons for this gender disparity.
Please click on the next lesson to explore modifiable risk factors
