We provide accredited information about dementia that is up to date, trustworthy and evidence based. You can also order this information in hardcopy booklet form.
People have lots of questions about dementia and the diseases that cause it.
These pages provide information about the most common causes of dementia, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and support. There are pages on genetics, reducing your risk and information for children too. Our information does not replace any advice given by doctors, nurses or pharmacists, but aims to give background information which we hope you find helpful.
If you have any questions about dementia or dementia research and would prefer to speak to someone you can contact our Dementia Research Infoline.
A quick guide to dementia
Dementia is not something that just happens to everyone as they get older. It is caused by different illnesses.
Types of dementia
Dementia is not a disease in itself. Dementia is a word used to describe a group of symptoms that occur when brain cells stop working properly.
Reducing your risk of dementia
In the majority of cases dementia is caused by a mix of factors, called risk factors. Some of the risk factors, like our age and genetics, we cannot change. But there are steps we can take to look after our brain health, and to reduce our risk of dementia.
Genes & dementia
We are often asked about the genetics of dementia – whether diseases like Alzheimer’s can be inherited, or passed down through families.
How dementia affects everyday life
Dementia is caused by diseases that damage the brain and affect a person’s ability to think, remember and go about their day-to-day life.
Getting a dementia diagnosis
The information on these pages is for anyone who is concerned about symptoms of dementia, and for those who would like more information about how dementia is diagnosed. Anyone concerned about their health should speak to their GP as soon as possible.
For children & young people
Dementia Explained helps children and teenagers understand dementia, how it affects someone and how this could impact their lives.
