Research performed by Bournemouth University has revealed that there has been a sharp rise in deaths due to dementia since the beginnings of the 21st Century; but now, the discovery has given leverage to the fact that the early onset of dementia cannot be passed off as being due to longer life spans.
Professor Colin Pritchard, who led the investigation, touched on the fact that that societal and environmental causes may be key to what he calls an “epidemic” of dementia.
The UK has one of the highest increases of neurological deaths from between 1979 to 2010 according to the World Health Organisation, which suggests a daunting implication on the living conditions of those living within its borders.
Prichard commented that ‘[This rise] cannot be genetic because the period is too short.
‘Whilst there will be some influence of more elderly people, it does not account for the earlier onset; the differences between countries nor the fact that more women have been affected, as their lives have changed more than men’s over the period.’
What the research uncovered was that the increase of early onsets of dementia increased in in men up 32 per cent and women up 48 per cent that represents a rise from 4,500 deaths to an uncomfortable 6,500. On a global scale, the risks of dementia have risen in 16 countries, of which Pritchard baptises as an “epidemic” of dementia.
His concerns stand alongside the fact that people are developing dementia at younger ages, of which he believes society and the environment that it is surrounded by is held accountable. The increased number of charities such as The Young Parkinson’s Society and Young Dementia UK are legacies to this statement.
‘These statistics are about real people and families, and we need to recognise that there is an ‘epidemic’ that clearly is influenced by environmental and societal changes.”
‘Considering the changes over the last 30 years – the explosion in electronic devices, rises in background non-ionising radiation – PCs, microwaves, TVs, mobile phones; road and air transport up four-fold increasing background petro-chemical pollution; chemical additives to food, etcetera,’ Professor Pritchard said.
‘There is no one factor rather the likely interaction between all these environmental triggers, reflecting changes in other conditions.’