Dementia is now the main cause of death in England and Wales, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Last year, more than 61,000 people died of dementia in the UK – 11.6 per cent of all recorded deaths for that period.
Dementia – an umbrella term that includes Alzheimer's Disease – is now responsible for more deaths in Britain than heart disease.
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"Due to improvements in treatment, diagnosis and awareness, the mortality rates for the other top five leading causes of death – including heart disease – have fallen since 2001," says The Guardian, while the ONS suggests the increase in reported dementia-related deaths can be causally linked to better diagnoses rates of the disease.
It also says the ageing population is responsible for the increase.
Heart disease remained the leading cause of death for men in 2015, though overall numbers were higher for dementia. However, if all cancers were listed as one disease, it would be top of the list by a considerable margin.
Hilary Evans of Alzheimer's Research UK said: "These figures once again call attention to the uncomfortable reality that currently, no one survives a diagnosis of dementia."
A 25-question test developed by Dr Vincent Fortanasce, a clinical professor of neurology, is intended to give respondents a sense of their brain age, and help them understand whether they could do more to improve their mental fitness.
The test is included in full below. Note: this test should be considered a guide only. If you have any concerns, visit your GP.
