Younger people with dementia are more likely to:

• be in work at the time of diagnois
• have dependent children or family
• be more physically fit and active
• have financial commitments, such as mortgage/pension
• have a rarer form of dementia
• not have other health conditions

and have expectations of a long life up to and beyond retirement and perhaps have hopes, dreams and ambitions still to fulfill.


The symptoms of dementia are similar whatever the person's age. Dementia affects the brain in many ways and may cause:

• Memory loss
• Personality changes
• Behavioural changes
• Mood changes
• Disorientation in time, day and place
• Difficulties in recognition, understanding and comprehension
• Difficulties in communication
• Inability to concentrate
• Inappropriate interaction

One in ten people over the age of 65 suffer from dementia, and the risk rises rapidly with age, to a quarter of all those over 85. Research indicates that there are around 18,000 people under 65 with dementia in the United Kingdom. Based on these national figures, it is estimated that there are approximately 200 younger people with dementia in Oxfordshire. The majority are between 50 and 65 years of age.

Whilst it is often possible to distinguish between one condition resulting in dementia and another, it may not be possible to identify the cause. This is a very active research field and new forms of dementia are being identified. It is generally agreed that Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of early and later onset dementia. Quite a number of younger people are also affected by vascular dementia and diffuse Lewy body disease and are more likely to experience rarer conditions.

Alzheimer's disease
The disease results in brain abnormalities over which the person has no control. The causes are not yet fully understood though research continues. It seems likely that a number of contributory factors are present with the disease onset.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease vary from individual to individual, as does the rate of progression of the illness. In the early stages the person may seem more anxious or confused. They may be forgetful, find it hard to make decisions or seem depressed. As the condition progresses changes become more marked and the person's need for help with day-to-day living increases.

Vascular dementia
Multi-infarct dementia (MID) is the most common vascular dementia. It results from the cumulative effects of small strokes occurring at intervals in the brain. Memory, speech, language and learning are affected. MID progresses in a jerky step-like way with deterioration after a stroke and then stabilising until the next stroke. There may be more insight during the early stages than with Alzheimer's and some abilities may be preserved for longer.

Diffuse Lewy body disease
Tiny spherical structures containing proteins are found in the nerve cells of the brain. The cause is unknown though research is being undertaken. The dementia is often mild in the early stages with degrees of dementia varying from day to day. Symptoms may include movement disorders, mild tremor and acute confusion. Depression, delusions and hallucinations are quite common.

Frontal lobe degeneration (including Pick's disease)
The causes are unknown but frontal lobe dementias are most common in younger people. Changes in personality may result and behaviour may become erratic. Obsessive or aggressive behaviour may develop. An awareness of time and an ability to recognise people and places is often retained until quite late in the illness.

Alcohol-related dementia
Alcohol can cause brain damage. A person drinking heavily over a long period of time combined with poor nutrition and vitamin deficiency may experience memory loss. Replacing the missing vitamins can improve the memory problem but most people affected do not fully recover.

Other dementias occurring in younger people include:

• Down's syndrome related dementia
• Huntington's disease related dementia
• HIV-related dementia
• Prion disease (including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease)