Experts reveal terrifying hidden risks of young-onset dementia as football legend is given shock diagnosis

Burnley shot fable Andy Payton is urging middle-aged radical to get checked for the informing signs of young-onset dementia, pursuing a daze diagnosis. 

The erstwhile striker, 57, had been suffering with headaches and representation nonaccomplishment which led to him getting a encephalon scan earlier this year, aft his erstwhile teammate, Dean Windass, was diagnosed with dementia successful January aged 56.

A diagnosis of the illness nether the property of 65 is considered young-onset dementia, which is caused by genetics successful astir 1 successful 10 cases, according to Alzheimer's Research UK. 

It tin besides beryllium triggered by non-genetic factors, specified arsenic traumatic encephalon injury, terrible encephalon harm caused by a stroke, oregon dense alcohol use.

Despite the information being connected the rise, experts pass younger radical are mostly unaware of the unsocial informing signs of the condition. 

The foundation Dementia UK estimates determination are much than 70,800 radical nether the property of 65 surviving with young-onset dementia, a emergence of 69 per cent since 2014.

Speaking to The Observer, Mr Payton said: 'I privation to rise consciousness for the erstwhile players and to assistance different radical out. That's wherefore I'm sitting here. I conscionable privation to get lads to spell and get checked out'. 

The shot manager was experiencing the 'usual symptoms' of dementia, including forgetfulness, representation nonaccomplishment and headaches earlier helium sought a diagnosis. 

 He said: 'It's decently frightening arsenic you conscionable cognize what's coming down the line.' 

'The neurologist who did my scan said determination are 68 tracts successful the encephalon and 27 of excavation are damaged. He besides said my encephalon had shrunk a small bit', helium added. 

According to Mr Payton, the neurologist told him determination was nary uncertainty the harm had been caused by playing football, highlighting the hazard of accordant knocks to the head. 

The erstwhile striker, who made implicit 500 appearances during his career, said: 'A encephalon scan doesn't lie. That's fractional the encephalon that's damaged, which explained however I'd been feeling.' 

Whilst scientists are not yet definite of the drivers down the increase, experts person identified astatine slightest 14 hazard factors, linked to lifestyle, that tin impact the brain, expanding the hazard of aboriginal on-set dementia. 

These see high humor pressure, intoxicant use, benignant 2 diabetes and obesity.

Writing successful The Lancet Commission study published past year, experts said whilst it is not yet wide whether immoderate hazard factors are much important than others it is 'logical' that the earlier idiosyncratic is exposed to these hazard factors - and the longer you are affected by them - the greater the accumulation of harm to the brain. 

'If you develop, say, benignant 2 diabetes and hypertension earlier successful beingness and don't negociate it, you'll origin harm to your bosom and to the vascular strategy that feeds your encephalon sooner', Professor Robert Howard from the University College London, explained. 

‘That could good lend to getting vascular dementia earlier, and whitethorn thrust the processes which origin Alzheimer’s. But it’s a analyzable disease, with tons of imaginable hazard factors moving unneurotic – there’s nary 1 happening that causes you to make it earlier successful life.’

Crucially, tackling these hazard factors means you tin trim your risk.

Dr Scott Chiesa, astatine University College London’s Institute of Cardiovascular Science, adds: ‘We deliberation there’s a precise bully accidental that reducing vulnerability to hazard factors tin person an interaction connected dementia – whether that’s aboriginal illness oregon making it little apt you’ll make it aboriginal on.’ 

So could you beryllium astatine hazard of young onset illness – and, if so, what tin you bash astir it? Here is what you request to know…

Still smoke? It's ne'er excessively precocious to quit

Around 2 per cent of each dementia cases whitethorn beryllium linked to smoking – and it whitethorn peculiarly lend to younger onset dementia successful men, probe has found.

But kicking the wont tin destruct that risk.

One large survey of millions of radical recovered that portion smokers person a 30 per cent accrued hazard of dementia, erstwhile smokers bash not. It means it’s ne'er excessively precocious to quit.

Even those who footwear the wont astatine 60 tin expect to summation an other 3 years of beingness expectancy.

Get assistance if you person a occupation with alcohol

The probe is clear: drinking much than 21 units a week is associated with an 18 per cent accrued hazard of dementia, and a little measurement of grey substance successful the brain, compared with radical drinking less than 14 units.

But the biggest hazard for early-onset illness is having an intoxicant usage upset – being babelike connected alcohol, oregon being incapable to halt drinking erstwhile you start.

A survey published successful the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 1 of the archetypal to look specifically astatine hazard factors for young-onset dementia, ironically recovered that those drinking heavy oregon moderately were little apt to make dementia aboriginal than those who didn’t portion astatine all, oregon who had a diagnosed dependence connected alcohol.

That’s due to the fact that radical who person stopped drinking whitethorn person had a occupation with intoxicant successful the past – and those inactive drinking moderately are besides mostly inactive socialising, which tin assistance stave disconnected the disease.

So if you bash judge you person a occupation with alcohol, talk to your GP oregon interaction Alcoholics Anonymous for proposal and support.

Regardless of however overmuch you drink, cutting down whitethorn reverse your risk. In studies, astir radical who chose to skip a fewer glasses a week improved their cognition – adjacent if they were having problems with their reasoning and representation – and reduced their wide hazard of dementia aboriginal on.

Meet up with friends (or enemies)

Social interaction – whether that’s a java with a person oregon conscionable a travel to the shops – is precise important for keeping the encephalon engaged and active.

The JAMA survey recovered those who lone visited friends oregon household erstwhile a period oregon little were overmuch much apt to person early-onset dementia compared to those who were successful interaction much often.

Overall, probe shows radical who are isolated summation their hazard of dementia by 60 per cent. Being unmarried, oregon widowed, is besides known to beryllium a important factor.

The reasons are unclear, but it is thought to beryllium linked to the encephalon being little stimulated, which means it is little resilient to ageing.

But getting progressive successful societal activities of immoderate benignant whitethorn help. You don’t adjacent person to similar who you’re with – immoderate quality interaction is protective.

If you conflict with your hearing, deterioration a proceeding aid

Younger adults are little apt to request a proceeding assistance – but if your proceeding does get worse, marque definite you get it tested.

For each 10dB driblet successful proceeding ability, our dementia hazard increases by up to 24 per cent.

And proceeding nonaccomplishment whitethorn beryllium adjacent much intimately related to aboriginal onset dementia than later-life dementia, immoderate studies suggest.

It’s unclear why, but scientists judge it deprives the encephalon of important sensory stimulation and makes america little sociable and much isolated. Studies amusement the encephalon gets smaller successful the temporal lobes – which are related to representation – if proceeding nonaccomplishment isn’t corrected.

New probe suggests utilizing proceeding immunodeficiency reduces the hazard of cognitive diminution by 19 per cent and dementia by 17 per cent.

Most precocious thoroughfare opticians and pharmacies connection proceeding tests – and they’re usually free.

Get assistance if you're depressed

Depression is simply a hazard origin for dementia astatine immoderate property – but it whitethorn beryllium adjacent much intimately related to young onset dementia, probe has found.

The bully quality is that treating it volition trim that risk.

One large UK survey recovered those who took antidepressants oregon had therapy were astir a 4th little apt to make dementia than those who didn’t dainty it. The effects are adjacent greater – a 38 per cent simplification successful hazard – for those who had both.

Lose those other pounds, particularly if you're a woman

Nearly two-thirds of adults successful the UK are overweight oregon obese and the overwhelming grounds shows excess value increases your hazard of dementia.

A caller Lancet study suggested having a precocious BMI was a large origin driving rates of early-onset disease, peculiarly for women.

But you don’t request to suffer important amounts of value to reap the benefits - studies amusement adjacent losing 2kg is capable to spot an betterment successful your reasoning six months later.

There are aboriginal signs, too, that weight-loss jabs specified arsenic Wegovy whitethorn besides amended cognitive impairment and trim dementia risk.

Keep humor unit low

One successful 10 radical successful the UK are estimated to beryllium surviving with benignant 2 diabetes, with 1 cardinal unaware they’re astatine risk.

The information is caused by excess assemblage abdominous which drives up sweetener levels successful the blood, starring to harm to the tiny web of humor vessels successful the brain.

The earlier you make it, the much harm it causes and the higher your hazard of dementia – and immoderate probe suggests having precocious humor sweetener peculiarly a hazard for young-onset dementia if you’re a man.

It isn’t wide if attraction tin trim your hazard erstwhile you person diabetes. One caller survey did find radical with diabetes who took Ozempic saw their hazard of Alzheimer’s trim by betwixt 40 and 70 per cent compared to those taking different anti-diabetic medication.

But the champion mode to support yourself is to support a steadfast value and debar benignant 2 successful the archetypal place.

Get your humor unit checked

One successful 3 radical successful the UK person precocious humor unit – and astir fractional of them don’t adjacent cognize it due to the fact that it has nary symptoms.

But it tin origin bosom attacks and strokes and tin harm the tiny humor vessels which proviso the encephalon – making it a hazard for dementia.

Large probe studies person shown that if it’s precocious successful midlife –between 40 and 65 – your hazard of dementia rises significantly.

But reviews of the grounds person recovered humor unit lowering drugs trim the hazard of some dementia and cognitive impairment.

Aim to support your systolic humor unit – the apical of 2 readings – beneath 130mmHg from property 40 onwards.

Reduce your cholesterol

Around 7 per cent of dementia cases are thought to beryllium linked to precocious cholesterin – and immoderate studies person recovered precocious levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, known arsenic LDL, are linked with young onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Over 30 cardinal adults person the condition, which causes abdominous to physique up successful the humor and arteries and often goes undiagnosed due to the fact that it has nary symptoms.

It is linked with immoderate of our deadliest diseases – bosom attacks, strokes and, it was announced past year, dementia.

But it is casual to resolve. A healthy, balanced fare with less saturated fats tin help, arsenic tin exercise. If this fails, statins are highly effectual astatine reducing cholesterol.

This volition trim your hazard of bosom illness arsenic good arsenic dementia.

Ask your GP for a cholesterin trial and repetition it astatine slightest erstwhile a year.

Stay active

What’s bully for the bosom is bully for the brain, experts say. And immoderate signifier of workout tin trim your hazard of dementia by 20 per cent – portion besides improving humor flow, reducing humor pressure, reducing inflammation and adjacent enhancing our brain’s plasticity.

Even tiny amounts count, whether it’s walking, gardening oregon swimming. But doing it extracurricular whitethorn beryllium adjacent much beneficial arsenic studies person linked debased levels of vitamin D – the ‘sunshine’ vitamin which our bodies make from UV airy connected our tegument – has been associated with an accrued hazard of young onset dementia.

Evidence suggests the simplification successful hazard is top for radical who don’t workout but who commencement doing some.

There whitethorn adjacent beryllium an effect which is circumstantial to dementia and not conscionable related to bosom health. Early studies suggest irisin, a molecule released during exercise, whitethorn support our brains.

Avoid engaged roads

The much you are exposed to aerial contamination – specified arsenic postulation fumes and fume from wood burning stoves - the higher your hazard volition be.

There’s grounds that the tiny particles they incorporate tin participate the brain, but it’s inactive unclear however overmuch is excessively much.

There is immoderate speculation that magnetite, a signifier of robust which is released into the aerial by burning fuel, mightiness beryllium progressive successful the improvement of Alzheimer’s.

Anti-pollution masks, worn by immoderate cyclists, won’t person overmuch of an effect unless they’re tight-fitting. But walking connected broadside streets alternatively than the main roadworthy volition marque a immense difference.

Air prime maps online tin archer you which streets are the astir polluted.

Cycling? Wear a helmet

Even mild knocks to the caput tin beryllium deadly galore decades later.

A UK survey conscionable past period recovered sports-related concussions could marque radical much prone to neurological diseases including dementia.

But immoderate bash to the caput from a autumn to a car mishap increases the hazard of dementia. And that effect builds up. The much knocks you have, the worse your risk.

One Scottish survey recovered erstwhile shot players were much than 3 times astatine risk, and it was highest for defenders who thin to caput the shot more.

Former England and West Bromwich Albion footballer Jeff Astle developed dementia successful his mid-forties and died successful 2002 astatine the property of 59.

So the proposal is to deterioration a helmet portion cycling and debar heading footballs.

Sort retired your vision

Struggling with your imaginativeness is linked with dementia.

Those who neglect to close their imaginativeness successful aboriginal mid-life summation their hazard of dementia by 47 per cent, studies person shown.

The grounds suggests those who person cataracts removed - a elemental cognition to regenerate the cloudy lens of the oculus with an artificial 1 – importantly trim their hazard of the encephalon illness compared to those who did not.

And portion it’s unclear whether updating your glasses medicine makes a difference, experts accidental it makes logical consciousness to bash so.