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In Context
- The number of dementia cases in India is expected to almost double by 2050, according to a Lancet report.
Major Points
- Worldwide, the caseload is set to almost triple to 153 million in 2050 from 57 million in 2019.
- The highest increase in cases is projected for North Africa and the Middle East (367 per cent) and eastern sub-Saharan Africa (357 per cent).
- Causes :
- Population growth and population ageing will be the leading cause behind this rise.
About Dementia
- It is a syndrome in which there is deterioration in cognitive function beyond what might be expected from the usual consequences of biological ageing.
- Although dementia mainly affects older people, it is not an inevitable consequence of ageing.
- Currently, more than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year.
- Dementia results from a variety of diseases and injuries that primarily or secondarily affect the brain.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60-70% of cases.
- It affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgement.
- Consciousness is not affected.
- It affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgement.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60-70% of cases.
- Impacts:
- It has significant social and economic implications in terms of direct medical and social care costs, and the costs of informal care.
- There is often a lack of awareness and understanding of dementia, resulting in stigmatization and barriers to diagnosis and care.
- Treatment and care:
- There is currently no treatment available to cure dementia.
- Anti-dementia medicines and disease-modifying therapies developed to date have limited efficacy and are primarily labelled for Alzheimer’s disease, though numerous new treatments are being investigated in various stages of clinical trials.
- WHO response:
- WHO recognizes dementia as a public health priority.
- In May 2017, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025.
- WHO recognizes dementia as a public health priority.
Source: DTE
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