{"id":5573,"date":"2023-08-11T10:49:26","date_gmt":"2023-08-11T10:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/?page_id=5573"},"modified":"2026-04-01T15:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:36:10","slug":"learning-disabilities-and-dementia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dementiauk.org\/information-and-support\/health-advice\/learning-disabilities-and-dementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning disabilities and dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

People with learning disabilities, including Down\u2019s syndrome, are more likely to develop dementia. Our specialist Admiral Nurses, along with <\/span>MacIntyre<\/span><\/a> \u2013 the learning disability charity \u2013 share their expert advice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are people with learning disabilities more likely to develop dementia?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/a><\/h3>\n

In recent years, the number of people with learning disabilities being diagnosed with dementia has grown. This is partly because people with learning disabilities are more likely to develop dementia, and partly because life expectancy for people with learning disabilities is increasing all the time \u2013 and the risk of developing dementia increases with age.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

People with a learning disability are also more likely to develop <\/span>young onset dementia<\/span><\/a> (where symptoms begin before the age of 65) \u2013 particularly people with Down\u2019s syndrome.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dementia in people with learning disabilities often progresses, or appears to progress, more rapidly if it is not diagnosed promptly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Signs of dementia in a person with a learning disability\u202f\u202f<\/span> <\/a><\/h3>\n

Often, memory loss is one of the first signs of dementia, but people with a learning disability may show other symptoms first, such as:\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n