Dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Europe - Statistics & Facts
Dementia is an overall term that covers a range of conditions, with the most prevalent type being Alzheimer's disease. The most common symptom associated with the condition is loss of memory and difficulty expressing and understanding thoughts leading to confusion. Other symptoms can include changes in mood, control of emotions, behavior, or motivation, sometimes these symptoms precede the onset of the declining cognitive functions affected by dementia. While dementia and Alzheimer’s disease mainly affect older people, it is important to remark that it is not a normal or inevitable part of the aging process. While there is no known underlying cause of dementia, health experts report that leading a healthy lifestyle prevents some of the risk factors that have been associated with dementia such as lack of exercise, smoking, and high blood pressure.
