People are living longer so Alzheimer’s disease is becoming more common. But there are things you can do to reduce the risk of dementia, says Amy Fenton It is estimated that, by 2025, more than a million people in Britain will suffer from Alzheimer’s. Its symptoms include memory loss, confusion and language breakdown, and it is incurable. Is there anything individuals can do to avert this bleak prognosis? According to Professor Clive Ballard, the director of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, and his colleague Dr Susanne Sorensen, the head of research, some simple changes to your lifestyle could delay and even prevent the onset of the condition. ‘A large number of studies have shown that a number of factors may affect your chances of developing dementia, so it is never too early, or too late, to make a few changes,’ Ballard says. Train your brain When it comes to retaining brain agility, the ‘use it or lose it’ principle holds true. Games such as Brain Age on Nintendo DS can help us to increase brain flexibility and activity, which some scientists believe can ward off the onset of Alzheimer’s. But you don’t have to invest […]