Dementia stems from brain diseases, not normal aging, psychiatrist says

September 27, 2026 at 06:26 PM1 min

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Dementia is a syndrome caused by diseases that progressively damage nerve cells and the brain, not an inevitable part of aging. Psychiatrist Natalya Sokolova, with 15 years of experience, explains that Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60–70% of cases. Early signs include memory loss, disorientation, and difficulty with familiar tasks.

Key Facts

Alzheimer's disease accounts for an estimated 60–70% of dementia cases, according to the World Health Organization.
Dementia is more common after age 65 but can develop in younger people.
Early symptoms may include problems with speech, orientation, decision-making, or performing familiar actions, not just memory loss.
Vascular dementia, linked to damage to brain blood vessels, can be identified by changes in the vessels.

Early Warning Signs

Early symptoms do not always begin with pronounced memory loss. Some people first experience problems with speech, orientation, decision-making, or performing familiar actions. Possible early signs include regularly forgetting recent events or conversations, constantly losing things, repeating the same questions or stories, and getting confused about dates and time. Other signs are getting lost in familiar places, difficulty with routine household tasks, trouble making decisions, and struggling to find the right word or follow a conversation. Mood or behavior changes and avoiding social contact and usual activities may also occur.

Types and Diagnosis

Dementia develops as a result of different diseases, so the approach to diagnosis and treatment depends on the cause. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type, followed by vascular dementia, dementia after Parkinson's disease, and Pick's disease. These diseases change the structure of the brain, which is determined using MRI, revealing specific changes characteristic of each disease. Vascular dementia, associated with damage to the brain's blood vessels, can be recognized by changes in the vessels.