In this episode of The Good GP, host Dr Krystyna de Lange is joined by Dr Marita Long, as they discuss dementia risk factors and prevention.

Dr Long says that dementia is a chronic disease, with its pathology starting 20 to 30 years before symptoms appear. Delving into the importance of intervention and maintaining brain health throughout life, Dr Long explains that dementia encompasses multiple symptoms with around 100 different causes, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common in Australia.

They then focus on non-modifiable risk factors, such as age and sex, noting that women are twice as likely as men to develop dementia. Exploring the global modifiable risk factors identified by the Lancet Commission, which include educational attainment, hearing impairment, traumatic brain injury, alcohol, obesity, smoking, hypertension, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, diabetes, and air pollution. Data from the Lancet Commission implies that addressing these modifiable risk factors could prevent or delay 40% of dementia cases globally.

Dr Long suggests beneficial lifestyle practices such as maintaining a varied diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol consumption, no smoking, and consistent social engagement to help prevent dementia. The BrainTrack app, developed by Dementia Australia, is highlighted for its role in raising brain health awareness and measuring cognitive performance through interactive travel games aimed at promoting timely diagnosis of dementia.

They then addressed the increasing concerns about memory changes and dementia worries, suggesting opportunities for risk factor assessment during health assessments and at various life stages, including among individuals with intellectual disabilities and the Indigenous population. The COG DRISK online assessment tool, developed in Australia, is recommended for its comprehensive evaluation of modifiable dementia risk factors, providing a personalised risk score and tailored brain health recommendations for individuals over 40.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

• Dementia in Practice podcast - https://dta.com.au/news/2021/dementia-in-practice-now-were-talking/
• Dementia Training Australia website (free online courses and resources) - https://dta.com.au/
• Dementia Australia - https://www.dementia.org.au/
• Lancet article on dementia risk factors - https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext
• CogDRisk Tool - https://cogdrisk-tool.neura.edu.au/
• Preventing Dementia Mook - https://www.utas.edu.au/wicking/preventing-dementia
• Dementia Braintrack app - https://www.dementia.org.au/braintrack
• Cognitive training - https://www.cognifit.com/
• Cognitive training - https://www.brainhq.com/

Some extra resources Dr Marita Long recommends:

• https://www.mup.com.au/books/secrets-of-womens-healthy-ageing-paperback-softback
• https://lisamosconi.com/the-menopause-brain

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